


Birds of a Feather

by mew_tsubaki



Series: Birds of a Feather AU [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Birds of a Feather AU, M/M, Older Characters, Really it's just a kind of adulthood AU, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 20:22:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 68,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7283368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mew_tsubaki/pseuds/mew_tsubaki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>...flock together. A collection of sequential yet standalone oneshots taking place in an AU in which three people never played for Karasuno High's volleyball club. But it's a small world, they say. *Older!characters, some slash, and Karasuno shenanigans; rating subject to change as the story-line progresses. Check the <a href="http://le-amewzing.tumblr.com/birds-of-a-feather-au">BoaF page</a> on my tumblr for all Ennotana AU stories, side stories, official art, fanart, and updates!</p><p>Finally, the Ennotana AU makes its way to AO3!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Quitting

**Author's Note:**

> Note for all fics in this collection: The Haikyuu! characters belong to Furudate Haruichi-sensei, not to me. This is my OTP, and I have this very fleshed-out AU for them, so…yeah. These oneshots take place in this particular AU but can be read as stand-alone fics, though they are sequential in order. Read what you like or read 'em all, but review and enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One circumstance leads to another and finds a lonely businessman at a bar. But what's a bar without the company of its bartender? .::pre-EnnoTana::.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic: "Quitting"
> 
> Characters: Ennoshita/Tanaka, Nishinoya, Narita, etc.
> 
> Rating: K+
> 
> Words: 5,373

The businessman looked at his phone to check the time. Nine PM. Hey, it was an early night for once.

He looked up the street, trying to determine if he wanted to bother with a cab tonight. No…it'd probably be wasteful, considering his new circumstances. So even though he would've _loved_ to go and grab a drink at that little place near Narita's… Nah, he'd have to forgo it. Not just tonight, either. Probably for the time being….

Sighing, the man tightened his grip on the small box of belongings from his desk, balancing his briefcase on top as a makeshift lid. He really should get home…but he hadn't the heart to do so.

For several minutes, he walked up the city's streets, getting pushed and pulled by the throng of people like a natural force playing with him. He could feel eyes occasionally land on him, but he didn't look back. He let his eyes fall to the ground, and he plodded on for a while like that…trying to numb himself.

However, a shadow fell across his feet at one point, and a hand appeared in his vision. "Excuse me…?"

The man picked his head up.

The speaker—a guy about his height with squinty eyes and a shaved head and wearing some kind of uniform—stared at him, almost frowning. "Hey…you all right?"

The businessman forced a smile. "Yes."

The other male didn't look convinced. "You sure? You're lookin' a bit like a zombie…"

"No, truly."

The newcomer sighed and shrugged. "Come on in, sir." He gestured behind him.

"To where…?"

"To the bar. The Roost." He gestured again, but this time to the sign he must've been correcting when they'd first crossed paths. The sign said _THE ROOST_ in English, and a crow had been scrawled in the top right corner of the board.

But the details, the sign didn't matter. All the businessman had heard was "bar." "Please, lead the way."

* * *

The inside of The Roost was nice. It was well-made and a little rustic with its steel-painted brick walls and black furniture. The lighting was dimmed like one of those fancier places, but despite that and the worker's snazzy outfit the prices were fairly reasonable.

"I'm the bartender, by the way," the worker said as he seated the businessman at a table near the door. "Tanaka Ryuunosuke." He grinned. "What can I getcha today?"

The businessman felt a smile trying to fight its way to the surface. "I'll take whatever you recommend."

"Are you sure?" Tanaka asked. "I'd go for anything, really. I can hold my liquor, since my sis taught me how to drink, and she can drink even the manliest guy under the table." He chuckled.

"Fine. You can water it down some."

As Tanaka went to pour the drink, the businessman took a deep breath. He appreciated the relative quiet of The Roost. No music played, even. It was such a strange find, and on such a night like this.

Tanaka brought him a tall glass of some pale orange liquid which smelled mild, and the bartender waited while he tried it.

He blinked. "Ah. This is good." He hated that he sounded so surprised. A nice place like this? Of course they'd work on their quality.

"I'm glad you think so." Tanaka smiled, although it made his face look somewhat terrifying. "Want anything else…?"

The businessman went into business mode and dipped his head in lieu of a bow. "Ennoshita Chikara."

"Ennoshita-san."

"Honestly, I'm fine." He raised his glass and took another sip. "Thank you for this."

"First one's on me." Before Ennoshita could object, Tanaka returned to his duties behind the bar. He appeared to be setting up, and Ennoshita caught the note at the bottom of the menu board hanging up above the liquor shelf: The Roost. Hours—Tues. through Sun. 6pm to 2am. Food: appetizers. Drinks: you name it, we make it.

Six PM? That seemed odd. It was after nine, and yet it felt as though the bar had just opened. Ennoshita couldn't resist asking. "Tanaka-san…"

"Ah, just 'Tanaka' is fine."

"Tanaka… Is this place new? I don't remember seeing it before."

Tanaka half grinned. "Uh, yeah…no. We've been around for…seven? Almost eight years now."

"Oh, sorry, I—"

The bartender shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Business has just been slow lately." The silence resumed.

Ennoshita frowned and he stared at his drink. So, maybe the night had taken a turn for the worse.

As the night persisted, Ennoshita nursed his drink and consciously ignored the presence of his box beside him in the booth. Few others came and went in The Roost, and so he watched them all. A man much shorter than Tanaka and with a lot more hair (a tuft in front was even _bleached_!) brought a box of goods in and chatted with Tanaka before disappearing in the back, so he must work here, too. Two other men came for a quick drink, because they were too busy glaring at each other and silently arguing to stay and enjoy the atmosphere. The shorter of that duo, the redhead, kept gesturing wildly, while his dark-haired giant of a friend wore a look to frighten Death himself. Lastly, a short, young, blonde woman with large eyes came in and briefly conversed with Tanaka. They exchanged something—a note or perhaps a business card—and then she beamed at Tanaka and left. Then all was quiet again, except for the sound of Tanaka's coworker in the backroom, Tanaka cleaning glasses by hand, and the shift of ice as it melted in Ennoshita's glass. Suddenly, it was after eleven o'clock.

Ennoshita sighed and downed the rest of his drink. He left cash under his glass and got up.

"Are you all set, Ennoshita-san?" Tanaka called to him.

The businessman's shoulders sagged. "I think so…"

"Oh. Well, come again soon."

Tanaka's tone was so friendly and straightforward. There was no demand or expectation behind his words.

And Ennoshita appreciated that.

"Maybe I will," he replied, turning and leaving and deciding not to see that smile once more for the night.

He'd be back for it anyway.

* * *

When Ennoshita woke the next morning, he sighed heavily. His body had long ago grown accustomed to waking up so early, but he really wished he could've slept in.

Either way, he got up, washed his face, and ate breakfast. He checked his phone—three missed texts. Two from Narita and one from Kinoshita. The first from Narita had cancelled last night's dinner plans. The second asked why Ennoshita hadn't confirmed that he'd gotten the first message. Kinoshita's asked after Ennoshita, stating that Narita had been worried when he'd gotten home.

Ennoshita pursed his lips. Should he…?

Another text arrived—again from Kinoshita:

_-Hey. What's going on? Not talking to me OR Kazu?_

Ennoshita sighed.

_-Sorry. I'll make it up to you guys soon. Just…sorry._

As another text didn't come, Kinoshita likely had accepted the half-hearted apology.

The businessman looked around his apartment and chose to tidy up. Unfortunately, that only killed a couple of hours. He picked a book off the shelf in the living room and flipped through it. He hadn't read it since high school, but it was thick, so he started reading. He liked that it held his attention, and it distracted him until lunchtime and, after eating, it took him away from reality once again.

But, like all good things in life, the book ended. Ennoshita grumbled to himself and glanced at his watch.

Half past six… Should he or shouldn't he?

He tried to convince himself that he didn't even remember the address, but that only lasted so long. He grabbed his phone, opened the browser, and typed "the roost bar" into the search engine. There it was, two train stops from his apartment.

Ennoshita dressed and left before his conscience could chide him. As he rode the train, he crossed his arms and gazed out the window. He was only going for another drink.

Still, a part of him felt relieved when the sign for the bar came into view. He looked up and saw the same lit sign he'd missed before. "The Roost" blazed in neon red lights, while purple feathers blinked to the right of the name, imitating falling. Huh. That was kind of cool.

Inside, it wasn't entirely quiet. Two people were talking and laughing loudly, and Ennoshita saw it was Tanaka and his coworker.

"Oh, hey, welcome!" Tanaka smacked the shoulder of his coworker, who snickered at Tanaka. Tanaka gestured to Ennoshita's seat from last night. "You can have your seat or sit anywhere you like, Ennoshita-san."

The brunet customer blinked. "You remembered my name."

Tanaka shrugged. "Is that so weird?"

"We _are_ in the service industry, so it's handy to have a good memory," he coworker remarked.

Ennoshita slid into the booth and nodded his thanks.

"What can I get you tonight, Ennoshita-san?" Tanaka called from the bar.

"Ah. Um. The drink from before was delicious."

The bartender nodded. "One light Oddball Quick coming up."

His coworker thought it was hilarious. "Oh my god, Ryuu! _That_ drink? I thought Shouyou and Kageyama told you not to make it official!"

"It's good for business, Noya-san."

Noya-san shrugged…but he broke into peals of laughter.

"Yeah, yeah…" Tanaka walked the drink over and handed it to Ennoshita, that same scary smile on his face. "Here you go."

Ennoshita snorted to hide his laughter at Tanaka's expression, and he covered his snort by taking a swig of his beverage.

"By the way, you paid for last night, so this one's definitely on me," the bartender stated. He held up a hand when Ennoshita opened his mouth to protest. "Nope, I mean it." He returned to the bar, and Noya-san spoke to him quietly. Noya-san snickered again, but Tanaka ignored him.

Eventually Noya-san disappeared into the back, and the comfortable silence of The Roost descended. This time, though, Ennoshita finished his drink, and Tanaka wordlessly brought him another.

Tanaka wiped down the nearby tables and walked around with the cleaning cloth slung over his left shoulder, straightening things up.

"I take it you were busy last night," Ennoshita remarked.

"No. But my sis has a bit of OCD about her place, so she'll know when anything's even a hair out of place."

The businessman blinked. "Your sister owns this bar?"

Tanaka nodded. "Yep. And I run it. More than ever, actually." A proud—not intimidating—smile graced his plain features. "She's engaged, and so she's basically left the place to me."

"Wow…"

"What about you?" He glanced at Ennoshita. "You got any siblings?"

Ennoshita chuckled. "No… Just my parents. Though I'm still friends with two guys I've known since grade school. In a way, they're like my brothers."

"Nice!" Tanaka jabbed a finger over his shoulder in the direction of the backroom. "Noya-san and I are kind of like that, too, though we've only known each other since high school."

Ennoshita turned in his booth so that the conversation might continue. "So you're both here all the time?"

Tanaka came and leaned against the table next to Ennoshita's. "Noya-san only works here part-time. I live upstairs, though, so I guess I never really leave here." He crossed his arms. "Last night was your first time here, though, wasn't it?"

"Yes…" The businessman's grip on his glass tightened, and he stared at the black linoleum tiles on the floor.

The bartender easily read the mood and straightened up. "How about I get you some fries or something to go with that? I'm feelin' a little peckish myself."

Ennoshita forced his eyes up and nodded his thanks, and Tanaka went off to cook.

Yeah. Ennoshita liked this place a lot.

* * *

Ennoshita came back night after night, which in a way was a good thing. While he could eat breakfast fine and force lunch down his own throat, his appetite always seemed to disappear at suppertime. But then The Roost would open, Tanaka would pour him an Oddball Quick and feed him an appetizer or two, and Ennoshita could forget for a little while.

Sometimes he'd just watch Tanaka and Noya-san interact, which was like watching a variety show from offstage. Other times he'd watch the other patrons come and go. It was funny when Noya-san tattled and told the redhead and the giant—Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio, their kouhai—that Tanaka had named a drink after them after all.

Tanaka explained it after they'd left. "We used to play volleyball in high school, and those two—" He guffawed. "You shoulda seen them! They were perfect together on the court, totally synchronized. Actually," he continued, stroking his chin, "it was probably a sign of how they'd be together off the court."

"Volleyball…" Ennoshita shook his head. "My friends and I liked it when we were little, but we didn't have the heart to join our high school team."

"Really? That's a shame." Tanaka cleared his table while Ennoshita stood to the right of the booth. "Do you still play?"

Ennoshita shook his head. "Haven't in years."

Tanaka laughed. "We should play sometime, then. It sounds like an easy win!"

"Hey…!"

The nice thing about hanging out at The Roost…well, there were a lot of things to like. But Ennoshita liked being chummy with Tanaka.

Tanaka asked about him and sounded genuinely interested in his responses. He never pestered Ennoshita about what had brought him to the bar by accident that night. Half the time he seemed to be able to read Ennoshita's mind—or at least he did when it came to food.

That Sunday evening, Ennoshita stayed there until midnight. It had been a long time since he'd made a friend like Tanaka, and it was fun being around him, especially since Ennoshita didn't consider himself to be much of a fun person.

But after midnight, even Tanaka said something. "Hey, Ennoshita-san… Don't you have work in the morning?" He'd waited to ask until Noya-san had left for the evening. They weren't busy anyway.

Ennoshita grimaced.

"Ah, I didn't mean—" Tanaka backpedaled. "Hey, it's nice having a fresh face, a new regular around here. But you've been coming for a week and never said—" He stopped when he saw the dark expression on his customer's face. "Sorry."

Ennoshita shook his head and pushed his empty glass away from him. "No, you're right."

"About what?"

He stood. "I've been coming too often." He left cash on the table and headed for the exit.

Tanaka furrowed his brow. "Hey, I didn't mean—"

"Have a good night, Tanaka," the businessman said over his shoulder.

Tanaka cursed. "Ennoshita-san—"

A trill interrupted them, and Ennoshita glanced at his phone. Narita had texted him. Seeing the message made him deflate a little, and his shoulders sagged. He glanced back at Tanaka apologetically. "Maybe next time, Tanaka." This time he left it at that and tried not to think of the next time he'd visit.

* * *

"You're staying over. Don't even whine," Kinoshita said as Narita passed Ennoshita a half-eaten box of Pocky. Ennoshita turned it down.

"No, I shouldn't—"

"You already took a cab here, the trains have stopped for the night, and," Narita continued, "I have a feeling you've nowhere to go tomorrow."

Ennoshita gave him a dry look. "I still have my apartment."

"But you no longer have a job, do you?"

For all that Narita and Kinoshita had been the reserved and somewhat quiet types during their school days, they sure didn't give that impression as adults. Granted, being able to live together since university had probably made them breathe more easily when it came to being themselves…but sometimes Ennoshita wished Narita wouldn't be so frank with him.

"Kazu, knock it off!" Kinoshita scolded him as he returned with a futon and a pillow for their friend. He smacked Narita in the head with the pillow.

Ennoshita frowned. "No, he's right. I… I quit."

They gawked at him. "You _what_?" the blond asked.

"This is exactly why I didn't talk or speak to you guys sooner," the businessman mumbled.

"Well, that's a pretty big deal, Ennoshita," Narita said sympathetically. "I had a feeling, but you had Hisashi and me worried when you said nothing. What happened?"

Agh, where to start? Ennoshita had been working in the marketing department for Ukai Corporation since graduating from university. Four years. Four years doing the same thing day in and day out, coming up rarely with ideas to promote their sporting goods and pushing mostly others' paperwork through. Until recently.

But Narita and Kinoshita knew about the general stuff, because Ennoshita told them everything. "Were you just sick of the monotony?" Narita inquired.

Ennoshita shook his head. "No, not at all. If anything, I could _handle_ the monotony. But…I was getting even more work and working ridiculous hours. I think they were going to promote me."

Kinoshita's eyes widened. "But, that's great."

Ennoshita finally took the Pocky from earlier. "No. My company's executives are all mostly single or preparing to divorce. Me getting a promotion would be like wearing a sign around my neck that says I have no life and don't expect to have one." He bit his bottom lip. "It got too hard. So I left."

"Like, suddenly quit or tendered your resignation?" Narita asked.

"No, put my things in a box, bowed to my boss, and left," he clarified.

Narita whistled and pulled on the collar of his sleep shirt. "Man…that's… You can't go back from that."

"I know."

Kinoshita set up the futon in their living room and then sat beside Ennoshita at the coffee table. "Do you have any other options?"

Ennoshita looked at Narita. "Is your company hiring?"

"Sorry, Ennoshita."

He looked at Kinoshita. "What about the department store?"

Kinoshita frowned. "Sorry… We had an opening last week, but it was just filled. If I'd known, I would've recommended you…"

The businessman groaned. Of all the times _not_ to share things with his friends right as they happened…!

Narita and Kinoshita stood. "Hey," Narita started, "I have off tomorrow and Hisashi has the later shift, so how about we pick this up after a good night's sleep, Ennoshita? It's been a while since we properly played anyway," he added with a small smile.

"I left a change of Kazuhito's pajamas in the bathroom, so feel free to use them," Kinoshita added. He patted his friend's shoulder, and then they went down the hall to their room. "'Night, Ennoshita."

"Goodnight," he called after them. He finished the Pocky and then changed into the loaned pajamas. As he drifted off, Ennoshita's last thought was to ask Tanaka if he were hiring….

* * *

The following day, nothing felt different or bad. In fact, Ennoshita felt as though they were a trio once more as they ate a late breakfast and went into the city to hit their favorite arcade.

"Oh, god…!" Kinoshita yawned as he stretched. "When was the last time we did this? Second year in high school, maybe."

Narita chuckled. "But we'd need a weekend for this kind of thing, coming in on the train… Even then, the city closest to us wasn't much. But it was either that or crashing at one of our houses and holing up with the host's gaming consoles."

"And I think your mother could only handle so much noise so often," Ennoshita told Kinoshita from Narita's other side. He and Narita laughed as Kinoshita sighed.

The trio did in fact act like their teenage selves at the arcade, though. They tried a few of the newer arrivals, but the fighting games always beckoned to them. Ennoshita and Narita had to face off and Kinoshita, their resident fighter expert, played the winner…and won every time.

"Ah, what about that?" Narita suggested. He pointed to, of all things, an old DDR platform that had been well taken care of and was still in healthy operating condition.

The other two gave him a look. "None of us can dance," Ennoshita said bluntly.

"Which is why it's the most even battlefield."

Kinoshita thought for a moment. "So…loser does what?"

Ennoshita held up his hands. "No money involved. The winner just gets to gloat."

"All right. Good enough." Kinoshita beamed…

…and they found out why. Kinoshita had been practicing and was now passable, which was far beyond Ennoshita's and Narita's skills.

"I won!" the blond chirped.

"Don't rub it in," Narita groused as his lover got a text.

"Oh, shoot." Kinoshita turned to them. "I need to go in a little early. Can we grab a bite on the go before you guys drop me off?"

"Of course," Ennoshita said. They hit the crepe stand up the block from the arcade and ate as they walked to the department store. Kinoshita inhaled his, though, as the escalator delivered them at his workplace.

"Agh, that's me." He clapped Ennoshita on the arm and gave Narita's hand a quick squeeze before waving and scampering off.

Narita turned to his friend. "Wanna hit anywhere else?"

Ennoshita looked around. "I could use a new book or two."

"As long as you promise me you'll buy a newspaper, too, and start searching for a new job."

"I thought Kinoshita was the mother hen."

Narita laughed, but his cheeks were pink as he grinned widely. "I dunno, man. Maybe you're our son as well as our friend?"

The thought wasn't a comforting one.

In the bookstore downstairs, the two friends stuck together and shot the breeze. In that way, it was easy for Ennoshita to forget that their trio hadn't really stayed a trio since his two friends had gotten together years ago. But he didn't begrudge them it. If anything, he was a bit envious. After all, Ukai Corporation wanted to promote Ennoshita because he was the exact opposite of Narita and Kinoshita—a single man with no prospects whatsoever.

Pushing that thought aside, Ennoshita felt eyes on him. He glanced up at Narita. "Something on my face?"

The taller man shook his head. "No… Ennoshita, some short guy's been looking over here."

"What?" He turned to see where Narita was looking but saw no one.

"He went around the corner," Narita said, putting a magazine down.

"Wait." Ennoshita held up a hand to stop him. "Don't. It was probably nothing, Narita."

Narita frowned. "He kept staring, though."

"And you've never thought a stranger looked like someone you knew?"

"Well…" His shoulders sagged. "All right, all right. Are you done? I wouldn't mind leaving."

"Yeah, we can go." Still, even as they left, Ennoshita grew curious, and he looked over his shoulder twice. But he never caught whoever Narita had seen.

* * *

Ennoshita and Narita split a little later, mostly because Narita made mouth noises about Ennoshita getting a new suit for job interviews. Ennoshita put his foot down, though. The newspaper was one thing. The suit…just no.

Ennoshita promised to launder the borrowed clothes and Narita told him they'd have his cleaned by the next time he visited. "So don't be a stranger," Narita insisted.

"Promise."

The shaven-haired man tipped his head to his friend and went back into the store to wait out the rest of his lover's shift.

Meanwhile, Ennoshita went home. He put his two new books on the bookshelf and spread the newspaper out on his only table. But it was as though the classifieds were mocking him, and he couldn't bear the thought of looking right now. So he picked up one of the new books and started reading.

But…the paper was still there.

Groaning, Ennoshita booted up his laptop and reorganized his desktop. He found his résumé and perused it…not very inspiring. He almost opened his web browser, but he turned one last time to the paper.

Urgh. It really did beckon.

Ennoshita grabbed a highlighter, a pen, and a pad of paper, and he poured over the ads. Too many things were outside his field of expertise, even for a smart, quick learner like him. And the next thing he knew, he had nodded off in the middle of his search.

* * *

He awoke with the newspaper stuck to his face.

He had to peel it off and, as he did, he vibrantly recalled last night's events. Not a mood lifter, but eh. Better than nothing, as Narita would've said.

Ennoshita pushed his notes aside and went to the bathroom. The mirror told him that he had about half a page of newsprint on his cheek, and some red pen had rubbed off on him, as well.

The brunet showered and put on fresh clothes. He made coffee and then got back to work. At least now most of these places were open and could take calls.

However, nothing was going to work. Two places had filled their openings almost right after placing their ads and therefore hadn't had time to print retractions. Another place wanted a total newbie—supposedly so they could train the person to their liking, but Ennoshita suspected it was more because they weren't looking to pay the kind of salary Ennoshita had been making. Three other places had changed the hours they needed filled, and another firm needed a presenter to fly all over the world for them. While the last one sounded appealing, Ennoshita felt it was Ukai Corp. all over again: They wanted to hire someone with no attachments. But, the thing was, Ennoshita wasn't sure that he _didn't_ want any attachments in Japan… Besides, his parents and friends were here.

Another face flashed in his mind's eye, but he ignored it.

Lunch came and went, and Ennoshita turned to the internet for a better look. Yet hours passed, and all he got was a pair of tired eyes.

Out of habit, he checked the time. Hmm. 8:30 PM. Well, he _had_ kind of left awkwardly two nights ago… A small part of him had some indescribable hope, but mostly he wanted to go and apologize to Tanaka. So the next thing he knew, he was on the train, heading for The Roost.

When he got to the street, Ennoshita panicked for a second, because the neon sign wasn't there. Then he realized that it was just on the fritz, and it blinked to life every few seconds or so.

Inside, it was busier than Ennoshita expected. Hinata and Kageyama sat at the bar with Noya-san, who was folding napkins. Two other men occupied a booth in the far corner of the place, and Tanaka stood talking on the side with the blonde woman Ennoshita had seen the first night. Another woman with possibly bleached blonde hair, cropped short, stood with them, her hand clasped in the hand of the tall fair-haired man beside her. Several other vague faces peppered the seats of The Roost.

Ennoshita caught Tanaka's eye before sitting in his usual booth. He hoped Tanaka would have the chance to talk. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how rude he'd been, that Tanaka had only been trying to be a friend, to ask after Ennoshita when he'd clearly noticed something had been bothering the businessman.

The brunet waited patiently, but Tanaka didn't leave his group. Ennoshita began twiddling his thumbs on the table…and finally a glass of ice water was placed roughly in front of him. He looked up.

Noya-san stared him down.

"Um…thank you."

Noya-san narrowed his eyes at Ennoshita and turned with a huff, leaving Ennoshita wondering what he'd done wrong. But Noya-san said nothing, and Tanaka completely missed their interaction.

Ennoshita didn't watch the clock. He didn't have to in order to know how late it was getting. He watched the other customers file out one by one and sometimes two by two instead. Finally the shorter blonde left and Tanaka was left to exchange bags and something else with the other woman. Then she and the tall man left.

Ennoshita left his water untouched and went to get up, but Noya-san, who had been wiping down the tables and clearing things, stood in his way. "Do you need something, Ennoshita?" He might've been short, but Ennoshita didn't want to mess with him.

"Ah, no… I just—"

"Nishinoya."

They turned. Tanaka gave his coworker a reproachful look.

"Back off."

The two exchanged a glare, and Ennoshita didn't exactly feel relieved when Nishinoya growled and threw a rag at Tanaka. Worse yet for Nishinoya, Tanaka caught it, so the short man disappeared angrily into—of course—the backroom.

Tanaka approached Ennoshita's table. Slight surprise registered on his face when he saw the full glass.

The brunet wasn't sure what to say. "Uh… I didn't know his name was actually 'Nishinoya.' I thought he was just 'Noya-san' this whole time…" His words trailed off.

The bartender pursed his lips. "Nickname," he muttered.

"Ah. Right." They stood awkwardly, until Ennoshita sat slowly and motioned for Tanaka to join him. "…can we talk?"

Tanaka slammed the rag on the table and leaned forward, his face that of a yakuza, not of a bartender. "Ora, ora… What's your game, Ennoshita-san?"

Ennoshita blinked. "Game?"

"You were cold and rude as hell last I saw you, and now you're all high and mighty. What gives?"

Ennoshita pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Okay, first, stop the thug act. I don't think that works on people who've seen you be nice. At least, it won't work on me. And, secondly, yes, I apologize."

It was as though someone had flipped a switch, and Tanaka was back to normal. "Oh. Wait, what?"

Again, Ennoshita referenced the vacancy, and Tanaka slid in opposite him. "I'm sorry. I was brusque and—" He took a breath. "I found The Roost by accident. Do you remember that first night? I had that box with me?"

"I kinda wondered…"

"Well, I'd just quit my job." He filled Tanaka in on all he'd told Kinoshita and Narita. "And I wasn't being a particularly good friend to my other friends either, so I caught up with them yesterday." He finished with a tired smile. "But, seeing as you're upset and Noya-san—I mean, Nishinoya doesn't appear to like me anymore either… I guess I just needed to apologize."

Yet instead of accepting Ennoshita's apology, Tanaka crossed his arms in front of his chest. "So…you managed to pull yourself out of the dumps for one week and what? You're all set now? You don't need to come here again?"

"No, that's not—"

"Well, nice to have met you. You can go now." Tanaka got up.

" _Hey_." Ennoshita reached out and grabbed Tanaka's wrist without thinking. And the action _did_ stop Tanaka. "I _would_ like to come here again. But only if I'm welcome." Ennoshita wished things were easy as they had been in school, when he could've looked at Tanaka and just asked, "Friends?" And that would've smoothed everything over.

Tanaka groaned and rolled his eyes. "Oh, hell. I never said you weren't welcome. It's just—we'd hit it off and then you stopped coming so I'd thought I'd really screwed up. But I've never been good at staying mad at people."

Ennoshita breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Good…!" Feeling a little daring, he smiled at Tanaka and raised his eyebrows. "Friends?"

But instead of giving him a straightforward answer, Tanaka snickered and gave him a wolfish grin. "Maybe."

So that was how it was going to be… Well, Ennoshita was all right with that. Another attachment to keep him here—Ennoshita _had_ been looking for one.

Tanaka took note of his water. "You're sober tonight, eh?"

"Not by choice. As I told you, I don't think Nishinoya likes me anymore."

The bartender laughed. "Yeah. Don't worry about him. I'll set him straight later."

"About what…?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, Ennoshita-san. Maybe." Tanaka went to the bar. "Closing's still an hour away. Do you want your Oddball Quick or not?"

Ennoshita smiled to himself. "Maybe tomorrow night, Tanaka."

Because, of course, he'd be back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> B) Well, this AU is off to a nice start. I just enjoyed having them meet… I also treasure the friendship between Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita, whether shipping Narikino/Kinonari or not. There were a lot of cameos from other charries here, and they'll show up in future fics, as well as others who didn't even have a cameo in "Quitting." And Nishinoya…his change in attitude does get explained, so stick around if you're curious! After all, the businessman and the bartender have just barely scratched the surface. Lastly, Ennoshita quitting is supposed to parallel the period when he left the volleyball club—turns out this is the perfect way to write him in this AU, and things are only just starting… ;3 Also, Clazziquai's Blink is the perfect soundtrack for the Ennotana side of this AU… I like to think of ["Still I'm By Your Side"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlAMgpfgQQE) as the song for "Quitting"—give it a listen! :D
> 
> Thanks for reading and please review! Check out the rest of the fics in this collection, too, or my other fics if you enjoyed this. Also, a HUGE thank you to the growing audience for BoaF on FFN and on tumblr!
> 
> -mew-tsubaki -w-


	2. Hiring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ennoshita spends a lot of time at The Roost, which Tanaka enjoys and Nishinoya minds. Ennoshita can't stay jobless forever, though. Drastic times call for drastic measures. .::pre-EnnoTana::.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic: "Hiring"
> 
> Characters: Ennoshita/Tanaka, Nishinoya, Sugawara, etc.
> 
> Rating: K+
> 
> Words: 5,665

"You're kind of doomed," Tanaka laughed as Ennoshita fretted.

The businessman had taken over part of the bar counter at The Roost. Three weeks had passed since he'd first crossed paths with Tanaka and been invited into the bar, and Ennoshita was now a regular there. He went every night, though not necessarily to drink. He just liked the good company.

Tanaka paused practicing mixing some new drinks and leaned over, turning his head sideways to read Ennoshita's notes. "How about this one?" he asked, pointing to a listing circled in green.

"Which one…ah." Ennoshita frowned. "No. Sorry. Forgot to cross it out. I'd be expected to work from home on weekends."

The bartender snickered. "Are you saying you go out on the weekend?" Tanaka teased.

"I'd like to," Ennoshita stated simply, and that made Tanaka shut up.

Three weeks… Three weeks since they'd met and three weeks since Ennoshita had quit his job in the marketing department for the sporting goods company known as Ukai Corporation. While the friendly atmosphere around Tanaka and The Roost was enjoyable, the job hunt was not. Ennoshita had had no luck so far, and he was beginning to let it get to him.

And, regarding Tanaka… Ennoshita liked whatever it was between them, be it called friendship or something else. He mused sometimes about them hanging out at someplace besides the bar, but as the only night Tanaka ever had off was a Monday, it made things a little tough for Ennoshita to plan as he tried to balance inquiries and possible interviews.

The pleasant quiet was interrupted when Nishinoya, Tanaka's part-time coworker, arrived. He paused, sighed upon seeing Ennoshita's face, and disappeared into his nest in the backroom.

"Will you ever tell me what I did wrong in Noya—Nishinoya's eyes?" Ennoshita asked the shaven-haired man.

Tanaka shook his head. "You'll have to guess to get it out of me."

He gave Tanaka a look. "That defeats the whole purpose."

The bartender merely grinned in response.

"So we were talking about weekends off," Ennoshita started, picking up the previous topic to make a segue. "What do you do in your free time?"

Tanaka shrugged. "Sometimes I'll play a set with Noya-san and the others. But, as of late, time off has been rare."

"Right, your sister's wedding…"

"Yep. It's happening at the end of next month."

"October? An interesting date."

"Nah, not really. Sis and her fiancé, Akiteru-san, actually went to high school together—a few years before me—but they reconnected in October of my second year. So she considers that was when they 'met,'" he explained, doing air quotes with his fingers. "They've been together ever since and got engaged last year, so Sis's head has been all wrapped up in planning every last detail. Leaving yours truly to do nothing but exist for the bar." He sighed.

Ennoshita smiled encouragingly. "Lucky for me."

Tanaka didn't look at him, but Ennoshita thought he glimpsed a smile when Tanaka turned around to grab a bottle of whiskey.

"You know, I'd like to meet her," the brunet added. "I've seen her haunt here a few times, but we've never had the chance to meet."

"Ah…yeah." The bartender chuckled nervously. "If you don't mind being bowled over by a hurricane, then sure, I'll introduce you to Saeko." He gave Ennoshita a bowl of pretzels and pointed to the latter's notes. "In the meantime, you should probably focus on finding work."

"Yes, Mother."

" _Hey_!"

* * *

Aside from Tanaka, Kinoshita and Narita were also supportive. Though Narita kept apologizing about there being no openings at his workplace, Ennoshita didn't blame him. And, besides, Kinoshita kept randomly texting him about "HELP WANTED" signs he saw all over the city. Granted, none of them were very appealing, but the thought was nice.

"Nice?" Tanaka echoed halfway through the week. He had on one of his better yakuza expressions, and Ennoshita had to look away. Tanaka's scary looks never scared him; on the contrary, they amused him, and Ennoshita so far had ensured Tanaka's feelings weren't hurt by stifling his laughter. "You think it's just 'nice' that your friend keeps informing you about jobs?"

"Well…" The businessman had no idea where the bartender was going with this.

"Ah, Ennoshita-san…you can be pretty dense sometimes." Tanaka sighed. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but—what's that saying? 'Beggars can't be choosers'?"

"Oh."

"Yeah." Tanaka slid Ennoshita's usual drink over the counter to him. "Do you really think you can be so picky?"

Ennoshita frowned and took a sip. "I have basic needs to take care of and bills to pay, Tanaka. I can't take anything far below what I was making."

"But you're making nothing now, is what I'm saying. Maybe a part-time job here or there will help you make ends meet."

"Come and work with me, Ennoshita-san!" Hinata chirped from a booth. He and Kageyama were catching an early dinner, and Kageyama was shaking his head at Ennoshita like a warning.

"Where do you work, Hinata?" the brunet asked.

"At a kindergarten! It's a lot of fun and the kids have endless energy—I love keeping up with them." He beamed.

"Thank you, but no." Somehow, Ennoshita just knew that the perfect environment in which bubbly Hinata worked was no place for himself.

Hinata booed. "Aww, man. That was such a quick rejection! It's like inviting Kuroko to eat with us!"

Kageyama delivered the final blow: "No. Likely Kuroko knew what to expect and politely turned you down. Only the kids can keep up with you."

"What'd you say?!"

"Oi!" Tanaka yelled at them. "Keep it down!"

The two obediently quieted, and Ennoshita chuckled. Then Nishinoya emerged from the back, ending his shift early. "What're we talking about, Ryuu?"

"Ah, Ennoshita-san's job hunt."

Nishinoya faced the businessman with a blank face. "Why not just go back to your old job? Try groveling."

"Noya-san!" Tanaka growled.

But Ennoshita didn't need protection…just as he didn't need to worsen Nishinoya's opinion of him. Besides, it was one thought he hadn't entertained. "I'm not sure that's an option," he replied carefully.

The shorty cocked his head to one side. "Giving up again, I see."

All right, now _that_ was uncalled for. "Not giving up, just unsure," Ennoshita continued. "I'm a planner. I don't do impulsive things. And I can't plan on them taking me back."

"But you were impulsive once before, otherwise you wouldn't have quit in the first place."

And set point: Nishinoya.

Tanaka moved to go after his friend, but Ennoshita subtly shook his head and packed up his things for the night. Nishinoya tsk'd and left, and the atmosphere's intensity lessened.

"Dammit," the bartender cursed, glaring at the exit. "He really needs to get his act together." Then he noticed Ennoshita was finishing his drink. "Wait, Ennoshita-san. It's still early, and he left. You don't have to go."

Ennoshita gave him a grateful half-smile. He was also aware of the curious eyes on the back of his head. "Tanaka. It's all right, really. He was helpful. I'll—I'll try to come up with a way to return."

"But—"

"You said it: I don't have a lot of options." He stood. "I don't know if I'll come by tomorrow night, but definitely the night after."

Tanaka frowned, not entirely convinced. "…all right. But let's at least exchange contacts. I don't know if I can wait two whole nights without updates from you."

Ennoshita got his phone out and held it by Tanaka's so the infrared exchange could work. Then he returned his phone to his pocket, careful not to let the glee at having Tanaka's number show on his face.

"Have a good night, Ennoshita-san," the shaven-haired man said.

"Ah…right. The same to you, Tanaka." He waved at Hinata and Kageyama still in a daze, and his daze persisted until he almost missed his stop on the train.

At home, Ennoshita fixed and ate a sandwich and flipped through his notes a few more times. Then he opened his briefcase, which he hadn't touched for almost a month. His last two projects leered up at him from beneath the sticky notes and collection of pens and highlighters. Huh. He really had a lot of writing implements, didn't he?

Soon enough, the businessman turned in early. He got under the covers of his bed, which seemed like a luxury after all the spontaneous and impromptu nights on the couch or living room floor. Ennoshita placed his phone on its charger on the nightstand and had just turned off the lights when the phone vibrated. He picked it up.

It was a text from Tanaka.

_-Just making sure this works._

Ennoshita chuckled.

_-It does, Tanaka. :)_

A moment later, a reply:

_-GOODNIGHT, ENNOSHITA._

He laughed. He could easily picture Tanaka's red and gruff expression. Then:

_-CRAP. I MEANT –SAN. GOODNIGHT, ENNOSHITA-SAN!_

Ennoshita cracked up. That night, he slept without any worries…and so said a silent "thank you" to the bartender who was moonlighting as his guardian angel these days.

* * *

"Bad idea. _Really_ bad idea," Narita warned the following day over the phone.

"Probably. Maybe. I don't know," Ennoshita grumbled. He flipped through his suits in the closet. Hmm. Maybe it was time for a new one? It'd signal his fresh start. Then again…it would just be cheaper to have one dry-cleaned so that he looked ready and willing to work for Ukai Corp. again.

Kinoshita made buzzer sounds in the background as Narita continued. "Ennoshita, do _not_ go back on your hands and knees to a place that drove you away. I can tell you right now: No good is going to come of this. More so since that Nishinoya guy suggested it!"

The businessman sighed. "You know, I get the vibe that he doesn't like me, but I have nothing against him. So why do you?"

There was a pause.

"Well? Narita, I know you're still there."

"Um." Narita coughed. "Well… I mean, maybe he's jealous of you. Or something."

The idea was so absurd, he laughed. "Jealous? Of _me_? Oh, yeah, I've got _so_ many prospects."

"Not that—oh, Hisashi, _you_ explain it to him!"

By the rustling, they obviously passed the phone. "Ennoshita?" Kinoshita asked. "It's me. Hey, what Kazuhito means is that you monopolize Tanaka."

"Huh?"

"Judging by what you've told us about your time spent at the bar, you and Tanaka really hit it off. But you've also mentioned that he and Nishinoya are very close. Perhaps he feels as though his friendship's territory is being breached?"

Really? Ennoshita supposed that was one way to look at things. But even if that were the case, he didn't think it could be easily solved. The obvious answer was to put some distance between himself and Tanaka, but Ennoshita didn't want to do that in the least bit. Nishinoya would be childish if he expected that to happen. Of course, Ennoshita wondered if his own stubbornness about the situation made _him_ seem childish, too, but he pushed the unwelcome thought aside.

"Ennoshita? You still there?"

"Yeah."

He could hear Kinoshita smile. "You're still going to Ukai Corp., aren't you?"

"Yes." Actually, now Ennoshita felt emboldened. "I have an idea. Maybe it'll work. Maybe it won't. But at least I'll have tried."

"As long as it's not just to get into Nishinoya's good graces."

"No, no, I know. That'll be just a fringe benefit."

"All right." There was another pause and more rustling, and Narita was back on the other end of the line.

"Nothing I say will deter you?" he asked desperately.

Ennoshita smiled to himself. "No."

"Then can we at least eat at the udon shop tonight? Maybe a nice meal shared with your best friends will make you forget your disastrous plan."

"Unlikely, but since you're treating…"

Shortly after, the businessman gathered his things for the rest of the evening. He stuck his laptop in his briefcase and selected his navy blue suit, and then he dropped it off at the dry cleaner's near Narita and Kinoshita's place. He worked in the little café next door until his order was done, and then he headed to the udon shop, where he grabbed a table for their trio and continued to work until the couple showed up.

"That's it," Narita said when they arrived and Ennoshita didn't even look up from his laptop screen. "It's finally happened. Ennoshita is no longer fun."

"Kazu!" Kinoshita admonished with a smack to his left arm. "Sorry about him."

"After all these years of being used to him," the brunet said as he put his work away and the waitress brought them drinks, "you only _now_ start apologizing for him? Don't bother, Kinoshita."

It was the perfect way to spend the night before the big day, and Ennoshita was glad to get his mind off his worries for a couple of hours. If he thought about tomorrow too much, then his nerves would start rattling, and he didn't want to feel jittery just yet.

* * *

Of course, the following morning, Ennoshita shook so badly he thought he'd vibrate right off the train before he even arrived.

He double- and triple-checked his reflection in the train's window. Hair: tidy and clean. Expression: determined, passionate. Outfit: clean, pressed, and professional. He also had his ace stowed safely under his laptop in his briefcase. Honestly, if it weren't for the briefcase, he felt pretty sure that he looked as though he were going to propose to someone!

On that line of thought, he looked at his phone again. He opened his inbox and skimmed over his brief exchange with Tanaka from before bed last night. He'd caught Tanaka up on all the details, and Tanaka had wished him luck. Then:

_-FORGET LUCK. You're gonna kill it! See you at The Roost tomorrow._

Ennoshita knew he must've looked like a madman to the other passengers, with such a wide smile on his face. But he couldn't help it. Tanaka was expecting to see him tonight.

The train ride to Ukai Corporation from Ennoshita's apartment took twice as long as the trip going from his place to The Roost, but Ennoshita didn't mind. In fact, he appreciated the distance now. It gave him time to clear his mind and fill it with only his speech and presentation. By the time the train rolled into the station and he got off, Ennoshita nearly believed Tanaka's faith in him. He would definitely nail this.

Ukai Corp., for its part, looked the same as ever. That wasn't a surprise. Why should one of Japan's leading sporting goods companies change over the course of a month? Besides, this was the home office, graced by company head Ukai Ikkei himself, and Ukai Ikkei wasn't fond of change.

Ennoshita took a breath and braced himself. He entered the shiny lobby and headed to the check-in desk. He still had his company ID, but he doubted it would work. Still, he gave it a swipe—and the building's inner door opened.

He gawked at it until the secretary looked up from his magazine. "Aintcha goin' in?" he prompted Ennoshita.

"Ah…um. Yes." The businessman half tipped his head to the secretary before walking stiffly through the doors.

Just like the doors, nothing seemed out of place or off. There was the ponytailed woman he always saw playing with power putty after talking to her boss. There was the mail guy who yawned every time he stopped his cart to give someone a package. That ugly painting of someone playing volleyball (or was it actually tennis?) still hung askew between the bathrooms on the fourth floor. Even the coffee machine in the break room still made that broken clinking noise. And yet no one batted an eyelash at seeing him—if they saw him at all.

Ennoshita walked past his desk, which remained empty and untouched. Although… Were his eyes playing tricks on him, or had his area actually been cleaned regularly? It didn't make any sense.

Trying not to let his confusion outweigh his confidence, the brunet came to a halt at the corner of the fourth floor offices and knocked on the closed door. After several seconds, no one answered. Just as he went to peek through the drawn blinds to the right of the door, he heard behind him, "Ah! Ennoshita. Long time, no see!"

He turned. "Oh… Sawamura-san. Hello." He bowed. "I apologize, but I'm actually looking for Sugawara-san. Is he in?"

Sawamura laughed. "Oh, Suga's in. But he had a late night, so I think he's trying to nap it off," he added with a conspiratorial wink. He stepped around Ennoshita and knocked. "Oi, Suga! Ennoshita's back," he announced upon opening the door.

"Daichi, haven't I asked you not to—" The sandy-haired man stood upon seeing Ennoshita. But he didn't look angry. He didn't look annoyed, even. What Ennoshita saw on his face was…relief!? "Ennoshita! Oh, good timing, good timing!"

The businessman gaped at his boss. " _Huh_?"

"Are you all rested and rejuvenated? We do need you back here." Sugawara grinned—it was blinding.

"But…"

"And do you have that file on our acquisition potential for Kitagawa Safety?" He laughed at himself. "I think I might have misplaced it."

Sawamura shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Suga, you take everything too lightly."

"Life's too short to take seriously, Daichi." Those pale brown eyes came back to rest on Ennoshita. "So?"

" _Hold on a minute_!" Ennoshita couldn't believe his eyes and ears. Had no one seriously realized his absence?! "Sugawara-san, don't you have any strong words to say to me?!"

Sugawara stroked his chin thoughtfully and looked at the ceiling. "… _give_ me the Kitagawa file…?" He shook his head. "Nope. I can't ask without saying 'please.'" His words made Sawamura laugh.

Ennoshita stared at the pair of them, chummier than ever and seriously oblivious to their kouhai's worries. It was so unexpected that Ennoshita opened his bag without any ceremony and passed his ace-in-the-hole—the _completed_ Kitagawa file—to Sugawara without a word.

The sandy-haired man smiled again, his eyes lighting up. "Perfect! I knew you'd come through, Ennoshita."

"Um…" The brunet found his voice as the other two skimmed the project, nodding intermittently. "Can I ask something?"

"Maybe later," Sawamura answered. Sugawara closed the folder and entrusted it to him. "I'll get back to my office right away." He started to head out the door. "Suga, get your people and meet us in the studio. We could get this wrapped up in a bow and delivered to Kitagawa by _tomorrow_!"

There clearly was something Ennoshita was missing. Over the next several seconds and minutes, he forgot about asking for his job back as Sugawara dragged him downstairs to Sawamura's department, the production department. Hours flew by as Production and Marketing worked together to bring the proposal to life. They even worked through lunch, which ended up being paid for by the company so everyone could eat and work at the same time. Somehow, take-out sushi had never tasted more delicious.

By the end of the business day, a cheer went up. They had done it. The proposal would be presented tomorrow afternoon at Kitagawa Safety's office, and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the brand would become the newest addition to the Ukai Corp. family.

"Honestly, the timing couldn't have been better," Sawamura remarked to Ennoshita and Sugawara after most everyone had gone home for the evening. Sawamura, like Ennoshita, had loosened his tie, and he finished his fifth cup of coffee for the day.

"I can't believe it," Ennoshita remarked. "I mean, I only finished it last night—how were we able to make a proposal so quickly today?"

"You weren't the only one brainstorming this whole time," Sugawara replied. "Most of us were working on bits and pieces, although our efforts were all based on the idea that acquiring them would be reality. Which," he continued with a hardy pat on Ennoshita's back, "your ideas made possible."

"Huh." The businessman blinked. "Can I ask my question now?"

"About what? Sugawara prompted, stealing a piece of tofu off Sawamura's lunch (well, by now, it was dinner) plate.

"I quit."

"That's a statement, not a question."

"No, I don't mean, I'm not quitting…again."

Sugawara chuckled. "Still not a question, Ennoshita."

Ennoshita frowned. "What I'm trying to ask is, didn't my employment stop after I quit at the end of August?"

The other two men exchanged a look. "You quit?" Sawamura asked. He slid his eyes back to Sugawara after a brief glance Ennoshita's way. "Suga…"

The sandy-haired man whistled innocently.

"Sugawara-san, what did you do?" Ennoshita asked.

"Hmm. Well. 'Do' implies I took action…"

"Suga." Sawamura crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave him a look.

"All right! All right, all right… Do you know Ikejiri in Production?"

They nodded.

"Remember when he married Michimiya-san from Accounts a couple of years ago?"

Sawamura sighed. "I was his best man, Suga."

"Well, you know that Michimiya-san got pregnant last year?"

"I'm the kid's godfather! I know!"

"My point is that she went on maternity leave." Sugawara faced Ennoshita. "But, for a short time, Ikejiri also went on leave. Paternity leave."

Sawamura ooh'd and nodded his head. "Smart, Suga. Good thinking."

Ennoshita, on the other hand, was still slowly piecing it together. "You didn't…"

"The paperwork doesn't have to verify marriage in order to apply, so…" Sugawara chuckled again, albeit nervously this time. "Company guidelines outline that a male employee may get one and a half months of paternity leave per child, and the employee is paid for his first and last week of leave." He clapped his hands. "If anyone asks—congratulations, Ennoshita!"

The businessman groaned and dragged a hand over his face. "Didn't you just commit some kind of fraud on my behalf?"

"Hmm. Did I?" He looked at Sawamura, who shrugged. "Probably not. The company's pretty modern, and we're ahead of the game when it comes to employment policies. You should be fine; in fact, you still have, what, a week or two left? And if there are any issues, they can fire me for all I care."

Ennoshita gaped at him. "How can you be so carefree?"

Sugawara grinned at Sawamura, who cursed under his breath. The latter stood and ruffled Sugawara's hair. "Because I spoil him," the taller man bemoaned. He finished cleaning the large meeting table in the studio. "Anyway, it's been a long day. Suga, I'll finish cleaning up. Why don't you get your things and then we'll head home together?"

The sandy-haired man nodded and left, motioning for Ennoshita to follow. In the stairwell, Sugawara apologized. "I should've told you."

"Most people would prefer you to have respected their wishes," Ennoshita returned.

Sugawara shrugged, but his head dipped in agreement. "In all honesty…"

"Thank you. For not discarding my employment."

His boss smiled gently as they entered their floor. "As I was starting to say: Honestly, I knew you needed the time off. You're a diligent worker, only taking off the federal and company holidays. Anything I gave you, you could do. So I was told to give you more to do, and you kept up. But then there was so much work that you almost lived here. Before you came to me and quit, I was preparing to tell you my plan about the paternity leave. When you left… I know we can't let you get away. You're a real asset, which you more than proved today."

Ennoshita shook his head. "I'm not… I just work until I stop. I don't have any creativity—Sugawara-san, to be frank, I don't even know why I'm working in Marketing."

Sugawara nodded his understanding. He put their conversation on hold as he gathered his things for the evening and then locked his office door behind him. "Ennoshita, can I tell you something? And don't take offense, please."

"Okay."

"You _aren't_ very creative."

Not quite the pep talk he was expecting.

"But we're alike in that way. I… I've always had to work doubly hard to stand out, to look talented like those around me. Even compared to Daichi—" His eyes shone. "We used to play volleyball together in high school. That was how we connected, despite always being in the same class. Volleyball brought us together. But Daichi was reliable on the court as well as off. Me? Oh, jeez… I was okay, but we got this amazing freshman setter when I was a senior. Needless to say, since I was also a setter, I became a benchwarmer. But I sometimes played in official matches, like a safety net. I worked tirelessly to guarantee the fact that my teammates could always rely on me if they needed to sub out our other setter." Sugawara stopped and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I must be boring you with all the sports talk."

"Not at all. A friend played in high school, actually. As for me… My best friends and I chickened out when we thought about the practice that would be entailed if we joined our high school team. So we didn't join."

"Aww, man!"

"What? What's wrong?"

Sugawara pouted. "I was wondering when to mention it—but when I filed your paternity leave, I noticed your file stated your schools. You went to Karasuno!"

"Yes."

"So did Daichi and me!" Sugawara sighed. "Aww, man… We could've played together…!"

Ennoshita felt light and happy. Talking with Sugawara—it was such an eye-opener. Before, he'd seen the man as a somewhat sadistic boss who'd done nothing but pass on all his work to Ennoshita. Now…now Ennoshita tried picturing playing alongside Sugawara and Sawamura. His mental image also included Tanaka, but he knew that was just a flight of fancy. No way had Tanaka gone to Karasuno with them—that would be too much of a coincidence. Plus…wouldn't that have put him and Tanaka in the same year? Actually, now that Ennoshita thought about it, he didn't even know how old Tanaka was. Maybe _he_ should've been using "-san" and Tanaka didn't have to! The idea was enough to make Ennoshita's head spin.

"Getting back to my original train of thought," the boss stated as they hit the ground floor and exited the stairwell, "you and I are alike. We have to work at creativity. Although, you remind me some of Daichi, too, in that you always rally at the best possible time." He laughed. "I feel as though I'm still on the volleyball team, though, looking after Daichi and you. In a way, it's nice to be needed like that."

The brunet wanted to add something, but he nodded and smiled instead. Besides, Sawamura was waiting at the front door.

"See you tomorrow, Ennoshita," Sugawara said as Ennoshita broke off from them outside. "I wanna hear about your time off. And we should play together sometime!"

Ennoshita laughed as Sawamura gave Sugawara a wary look, but as the businessman walked away, he could hear Sugawara start to explain their high school connection. That brought Ennoshita's thoughts back to Tanaka, and he got on the train with one destination in mind.

* * *

The Roost was lively for once. When Ennoshita arrived, he could hear music coming from inside, and it turned out that the bar had a speaker system. Said system was cranked up to "LOUD."

Ennoshita stuck his fingers in his ears as he made his way over to the counter, where Tanaka stood. He tapped the bartender's shoulder. "Hey!" he shouted.

Tanaka ripped his eyes from the spectacle before him. His face lit up when he saw Ennoshita. "Hi!" he yelled. "How'd it go?"

The businessman jerked his head in the direction of the people dancing. "What's going on?" He could see Nishinoya and Akiteru-san trying to dance with Saeko at the same time, and Hinata and Kageyama were trying their best to look good at dancing while bumping into nearly everyone else.

Tanaka grabbed his arm and led him to the backroom. He closed the door, and Ennoshita massaged his ears as he looked around. It turned out the backroom was half inventory…half kitchen. It made Ennoshita wonder just what it was that Nishinoya did for The Roost. "Sorry 'bout that," Tanaka said, interrupting his observation.

They faced each other, and it hit Ennoshita that they were alone in here. Properly alone, with a slight chance of being interrupted. He hoped his realization didn't show on his face. "What's happening out there?"

The bartender grinned and put his hand on Ennoshita's shoulders. "Sis is pregnant! I'll be an uncle," he announced proudly.

"Wow. Congratulations." He paused and chuckled to himself.

"What?"

"Oh, it's just funny. I was told I was a father, too. Let me explain," he added hastily when Tanaka gave him a yakuza stare. He told the story of how paternity leave paperwork had been filed on his behalf, so as not to lose him as an employee. "Sugawara-san is sly, but I didn't realize how much."

Instead of laughing at the ridiculous story, Tanaka shrugged. "It was a good way to exploit a policy loophole, though."

"I guess…" Ennoshita sat on the stool in front of the liquor shelf, opposite where Tanaka leaned against the kitchenette's stovetop. "What?"

Tanaka was staring at him thoughtfully. "Nothing, just… Who's your boss again?"

"Sugawara Koushi. He's a year older than me."

"Wow." Tanaka broke into a hearty laugh. " _Wow_!"

"What?!"

"Does he still know Daichi-san?"

Ennoshita blinked. He paused for a second, wondering just how detailed his response should be, given how…close Sugawara and Sawamura were. "Sawamura Daichi? Then yes."

Tanaka pumped his fist. "That's so cool!" He waved his hand apologetically. "Sorry, sorry—it's just— They're my senpai. They were the Karasuno volleyball club's vice-captain and captain, man. I was a year below them. Making us," he continued, gesturing between the two of them, "the same age."

Ennoshita sighed. "I'd begun to wonder who should be using honorifics…"

"Nah, don't worry about it."

"But that's not all—Tanaka, I _also_ went to Karasuno."

The look on Tanaka's face shifted from glee to utter confusion. "Come again?"

"I guess, doing the math, we were in the same year."

"No way!" The bartender leaned forward and down, sticking his face in Ennoshita's. "Weird! Karasuno wasn't a very big school, but I'm pretty sure I would've remembered you if we'd been in the same class."

Ennoshita gave him an unconvinced stare and gently pushed Tanaka's face away. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would've remembered _you_."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Still, they laughed. It struck Ennoshita how small the world was. But the odds of him coming to _this_ bar that night, and meeting Tanaka… Those odds had to be astronomical.

Then Tanaka slapped his own forehead. "Oh, man!"

"What now?"

"You said you and your friends liked volleyball. We could've played together at Karasuno if you'd tried out!"

Ennoshita chuckled. "Sugawara-san said the same thing."

"I still can't believe I didn't piece this stuff together sooner… But, if I'd known you worked at Ukai Corp., that would've told me everything."

"Why?"

"Ukai Ikkei coached us. Man, that geezer was Spartan!"

They laughed again, and then the music out in the bar got a little louder. "I suppose we should join them," the businessman stated.

Tanaka pursed his lips and glanced at Ennoshita. "…we don't have to hurry…"

Ennoshita looked up at him and then quickly averted his gaze, as did Tanaka. So, he wasn't the only one to realize they were alone in the backroom. Several minutes of silence passed. "So…when's your birthday?"

Thankfully, Tanaka laughed. "Still hung up on those honorifics, huh?"

"Sorry…"

"March third."

"Huh. I'm December twenty-sixth."

The bartender laughed again and switched sides, leaning against the liquor shelf beside Ennoshita. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to stay 'Tanaka.' I don't need '-kun' or anything added."

"Sure."

"Thanks, Ennoshita."

Hmm. Well. That was different. But it sounded unexpectedly pleasant to Ennoshita's ears. He glimpsed Tanaka's expression in the dim light of the room and witnessed a healthy color flood his tanned face. Perhaps his name tasted unexpectedly pleasant, too?

Tanaka cleared his throat. "You know what I'm thinking?"

Ennoshita openly gazed at his companion. "What?"

Tanaka opened his mouth, shut it, and then muttered something to himself. "I'm thinking we definitely should play a set sometime." He headed for the door.

But Ennoshita wasn't ready to join the festivities yet. He got up and dogged Tanaka's heels. "No. You were thinking something else."

The taller man scratched his shaved head. "No, I wasn't."

"That's a shame." Ennoshita smiled easily as Tanaka turned and tried to stare him down again.

"Look, you—" Even in the dim light, Tanaka was purely red.

"Oh, I forgot to mention." The businessman opened the door, and the music began to pour in. "With me working again, I'll have regular hours."

"And?"

"We should do something sometime when we're both free. Ah," he added when Tanaka went to intercede, "and not necessarily volleyball."

Tanaka raised one eyebrow and then rolled his eyes. "Anyone ever tell you you look sleepy all the time?"

"Plenty of times." Ennoshita opened the door a bit more.

"'Cause I think you just look as though you're planning every word you say."

"I _am_ a planner." Yet as he said that, he had to fight down the impulse to close the door and not let them leave their own little world just yet.

Tanaka looked at him, reading something in his eyes. "Yeah…yeah, you're a planner all right. I guess I like that about you." He gave Ennoshita no time to react to his words, though. "Well, if you're sticking around, I should probably introduce you to Saeko, huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XD Tanaka… Sometimes he's smooth, sometimes Ennoshita gets to be the smooth one. And then there's Suga. B) Suga's sadism really plays well in this AU, and it sticks around—you'll see more in the next oneshot, "Recommendation," even. More cameos here and more cameos to come…and things will take off for Ryuu and Chika in the next fic! Plus, Noya finally comes to his senses—in a hilarious way. XDDD Also, that was a hint of Ikejiri/Yui because they're a cute pairing. :3 Lastly… I wanna write more of Tanaka's texts with Ennoshita—Tanaka's adorable. And song for "Hiring" would be ["Crave You"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_o742s6Uc) by Clazziquai…agh, so perf for Ryuuchika. -w- Also, I name-dropped Kuroko for a reason. ;P
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review! "Recommendation" is the fic you've been waiting for! Also, another big thanks for the comments/kudos I've been getting, especially from fans following me over here from FFN and/or tumblr--I really appreciate it!
> 
> -mew! ;D


	3. Recommendation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, Ennoshita has the job that he'd walked away from back. Yet Sugawara is milking his subordinate's return for all its worth, as another crow appears. For his part, Ennoshita is done worrying about work and is ready to put some effort into romance… .::EnnoTana::.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic: "Recommendation"
> 
> Characters: Ennoshita/Tanaka, Sugawara, Narita, etc.
> 
> Rating: K+
> 
> Words: 6,796

Ennoshita Chikara stuffed his hands in his coat pockets while he waited. He thought about sending a text…but, no, he could wait. The bar would be opened in a couple of minutes anyway.

Thinking about it opening, he looked up at the neon sign that would light up and read "The Roost." Jeez, he loved this place. Before, he'd thought of the place as a unique joint where he'd made a lot of friends, one good one in particular. Now, the bar's name and motif made more sense, having learned that its workers and most of its regulars were graduates of Karasuno High School. Ennoshita was a graduate, too, and a funny image entered his mind. The Roost—it was a nest of crows. The image made him smile.

"Oi, you—what're you doing standing out here, smiling like an idiot?"

From anyone else, the comment would've been rude. But Ennoshita saw Tanaka had come from up the street, and Tanaka… Well, Ennoshita could never see Tanaka Ryuunosuke as rude. He was just bashful, was all.

"What?" he grumbled, shifting the paper bag in his arms so he could get his keys.

"Cute hat."

"Shut up." Even with the puffball beanie coming down partway over Tanaka's ears, Ennoshita could see that his ears were red. And probably not from the cold.

Ennoshita followed Tanaka into the restaurant and shed his jacket. "It's rare for me to see you outside of the bar."

"Yeah. Hope you weren't standing out there long. It's cold today."

"We _are_ midway through October."

Tanaka gave him an exasperated look, though it did nothing to discourage Ennoshita's content smile. After all, he _had_ seen a rare sight outside just now. "I know that. But you could've texted. Or called."

"It's all right. My days end promptly nowadays. I arrived two minutes before you returned, honest."

The bartender shrugged and put the bag on the countertop behind the bar counter. "I'll be right back. I've gotta change. Mind watching the place for a minute?"

Ennoshita waved him on. "Sure. Take your time."

Tanaka nodded his thanks and dashed upstairs, to the apartment where he lived.

While he was absent, Ennoshita settled into the corner seat at the bar's counter. It was amazing, he mused. He'd known Tanaka for a month and a half now. He'd gone from unemployed and relatively lonely to enjoying life again. Plus, he was back at work, in better conditions. A lot of things had gone swimmingly for him. If things didn't change much right now, Ennoshita would be utterly fine with the way things currently stood.

"Thanks," Tanaka said when he returned. He was rolling up his sleeves and had his vest and bowtie tucked into the crook of his right elbow. But Ennoshita's eyes dipped involuntarily to the spot of skin at the base of Tanaka's throat.

"You forgot a button."

Tanaka paused, reddened, and hastily did up the rest of his collar. As he donned the tie, Ennoshita was sad to see the sight go. "By the way," the bartender began as he stepped behind the counter, "I wanted to apologize again for earlier in the week."

The businessman waved him off. "Don't sweat it. It was Nishinoya's birthday. He doesn't like me. Why force him to be polite on his day?"

The shaven-haired man frowned. "It's not that he doesn't like you."

"Oh?" Ennoshita's ears perked up. In the beginning, Tanaka's coworker and friend had liked Ennoshita. But then something had shifted, and he'd been cold and rude ever since. It made things awkward for Tanaka whenever Ennoshita visited and Nishinoya worked his part-time shift simultaneously. Tanaka gave him the impression that he knew Nishinoya's reasons, but so far he'd refused to elaborate.

And, apparently, today was no different. Tanaka pursed his lips and shook his head. So. It still wasn't time to be honest with Ennoshita.

The brunet didn't hold it against Tanaka. After all, they'd met second. Tanaka and Nishinoya had been close since high school. Sometimes Ennoshita got jealous and kicked himself. Things could've been so much different if he and his friends had joined the volleyball team in high school… Ennoshita would've known Tanaka sooner, befriended him sooner… _everything_ would've been sooner.

Tanaka cleared his throat, anxious to change the subject. "How was work today?"

"Decent," Ennoshita answered. Though he'd brought some work home with him, he didn't feel like spreading out on the counter like usual. He much preferred to watch Tanaka get to work mixing new concoctions. His eyes followed the bartender as the other man got to work. "I get the feeling Sugawara-san is trying to groom me for that promotion again."

"Just don't fall into that trap again and get discouraged." He pointed at Ennoshita despite holding two bottles with one hand and holding a half-full tumbler by the edges. "You shouldn't quit again, because I don't think it'd be as easy to win it back, your job."

Ennoshita sighed and crossed his arms on the counter, resting his chin on them. "It would be a sign, really. That I'm not meant for that kind of work."

Tanaka frowned. "Hell no! Look at what you accomplished just on the day you returned. You saved the company!"

The businessman's cheeks grew warm, and he looked away from his friend. "You're exaggerating."

"Am I, when your company makes its living on its partnerships with related companies?" He grinned. "But if we're being honest, then yes, I'm exaggerating, and no, you'd have no options if you left Ukai Corp. for good."

Ennoshita, face still red, slid his eyes back to Tanaka. "I could make myself of use to you here," he said slyly.

For what it was worth, Tanaka didn't turn away at Ennoshita's attempt to flirt, though he didn't meet his eyes either. He had his body turned halfway towards Ennoshita, and all of a sudden he became _very_ interested in how vigorously he shook the new drink.

The brunet sighed. "One light Oddball Quick," he ordered.

Tanaka exhaled. "Sounds good. Coming right up!"

* * *

The days moved on like usual. However, Ennoshita had changed his mind. He _wasn't_ fine with the way things currently stood. Sure, work was all right. But between him and Tanaka? Now that work was no longer one of his worries, Ennoshita could dedicate his efforts to figuring out how he and the bartender might work out together. Though he had yet to admit to anyone that he liked Tanaka, he knew that was how he felt. But how did people fall in love and stay in love?

In this area, Ennoshita was a total novice. He'd never been girl-crazy during high school. He'd tried to go on a few dates arranged by friends in university, but no girl had wanted him as more than a friend. After that…love had been pushed into a dark, untouched corner of his mind, and he'd forgotten all about it. Until now. Until Tanaka.

Ennoshita sighed at his desk for the fifth time that day. He wished there was such a thing as a course in romance. _That_ , he could do. He'd always been good at school. Social experiments…not so much.

At the desk behind him, his coworker rolled in his chair over to Ennoshita. "Hey! Why the long face today?" Terushima asked.

"I've…just got something on my mind."

The blond man grinned. "Work getting to you?"

"No."

"It's okay! You can tell your pal Yuuji!"

Ennoshita wasn't sure how appetizing the idea of being "pals" with Terushima sounded. The guy was too full of energy. Like Hinata at The Roost, but with the addition of laziness.

Terushima waved his phone by Ennoshita's face. "You just need one of these, Ennoshita."

He glanced at the screen. "Misaki Hana?"

The bundle of energy beamed and sighed happily. "Yep! Hana-chan! She's my girlfriend."

Internally, Ennoshita wished the woman all the stamina in the world to keep up with someone like Terushima.

"She yells at me and keeps me on task. But she's so great. She listens to all the things I talk about, even the things that don't interest her. And she always carries on conversations with me about such things, even." He didn't deflate, but he calmed down when his eyes skimmed over their text history. "She puts up with me. That's more than I could ask for."

It was so surprising to see Terushima subdued and serious. Yet Ennoshita felt a pang of jealousy. He wondered if he might ever feel that way about someone. Tanaka's yakuza face did come to mind, but Ennoshita returned his attention to his coworker.

"So what do you say?" Terushima's cheeriness had flared up again. "Why don't we find you a girlfriend?"

Ennoshita gave him a dismissive wave. "No, that's—"

"Hana-chan and I have a single friend. She's a really nice girl. I think you two might be good together."

"Terushima, I—"

"So? Just say the word and I can set you up!"

The brunet bit his lip. It hadn't slipped by him that his feelings for Tanaka might explain why he'd never hit it off with a woman before. But how to explain this delicately to…well, someone like Terushima?

"Seriously, I can—"

"Terushima~" came Sugawara's voice from behind them.

Terushima shut up and looked nervously at their boss. He audibly swallowed.

"Care to tell me why you're chitchatting while you've gotten nothing done today?"

"Well… I wouldn't say _nothing_ …"

Sugawara's left eye twitched imperceptibly. Ennoshita only caught it because he saw Sugawara's beauty mark move. "One thing done is not much better than none."

The blond ducked his head. He patted Ennoshita on the back as he scooted away. "Catch ya later, Ennoshita…"

Sugawara gave Ennoshita an inquisitive look, but he didn't pester him. With that, the Terushima nonsense was over.

* * *

A day later, Ennoshita got the idea to observe Sugawara. It made perfect sense, and he'd wished he'd thought about it before Terushima had bothered him.

Sugawara was perfectly happy to work more closely with his subordinate, although he likely believed that this was just Ennoshita becoming more interested in the promotion. "You'd be my right-hand man," he liked to point out.

Ennoshita wasn't thinking about that, though. "Might we have a working lunch?" the brunet suggested.

At first, Sugawara was a tad reluctant. But he quickly warmed up to the idea, and thus began a new tradition of Ennoshita barging in on Sugawara's lunch dates with Sawamura.

Sawamura, for his part, was a good sport—at first. By the fourth "working lunch," however, he waited until Sugawara excused himself to use the restroom and then Karasuno's former volleyball captain turned on Ennoshita. "Okay, what's the big deal?"

The businessman blinked. "Sorry?"

But Sawamura would have none of that. "You, Ennoshita. You work in Suga's office and so see him every day."

"He wants to promote me."

Sawamura gave him a long look. "…bull. You're after something else. Normally you're a very considerate guy. Though Suga and I don't announce ourselves, we're certainly open about our relationship at work. And you're perceptive, as well as considerate. So tell me," he pushed, clasping his hands together and leaning across the table, "what gives?"

Ennoshita weighed the pros and cons of being honest with the production manager. He decided he had nothing to lose, but that didn't make it any less awkward to convey. "Since you insist… I believe I have romantic feelings for a male friend."

"Not Terushima?"

"What? God, no." He paused. "Not that he's a bad guy."

Sawamura nodded. "Yeah, but Suga mentioned Terushima to me the other day. The guy's still as pushy as ever."

Ennoshita quirked an eyebrow. "…you know him?"

"Volleyball, but not Karasuno."

"Ah." The brunet cleared his throat; he wanted to finish this discussion before Sugawara returned. Sugawara—well, he'd proven himself to be a schemer by filing paperwork that had given Ennoshita leave when Ennoshita had quit, so Ennoshita had been able to return to work easily. If that was how Sugawara handled work, Ennoshita wasn't sure he'd want to learn how Sugawara might fiddle with Ennoshita's personal life. "But no, not Terushima."

"All right. So what's the problem?"

"I've never really dated, let alone fallen for another man. Can you blame me for wanting to observe you two? You're very natural together."

It must've been a high compliment, for Sawamura blushed and stared at his water glass. The hubbub of the restaurant did nothing to distract them, and the production manager cleared his throat. "Thank you," he said at last.

"How does it work?" As soon as he said it, Ennoshita inwardly cursed. That sounded really crass.

But his companion knew what he meant. "When it comes to love, think about gender later. Just focus on being happy."

Such a simple answer…

Sugawara returned then. "What'd I miss?" he asked, sitting down.

Sawamura winked conspiratorially at Ennoshita and hooked his hand around Sugawara's neck, pulling him in for a quick smooch. He laughed, Ennoshita snickered, and Sugawara turned horrifically maroon.

" _Daichi_!"

"To rephrase, Ennoshita," Sawamura said while his lover glared at him and kept slapping his shoulder, " _that_ is how it works."

* * *

"You're a little intense tonight."

"Yeah."

Tanaka paused, put a drink down in front of Ennoshita, and frowned—not that Ennoshita noticed, since he was facing away. "Hey. You're creeping them out, Ennoshita."

Hearing his name snapped him out of his stupor. He turned around, surprised to find Tanaka watching him so intently. "What?"

"Hinata and Kageyama. You've been watching them all evening."

Had he? Ennoshita hadn't meant to be so rude. When he peeked at the redhead and his grumpy partner, he saw them look the other way. Ennoshita bowed his head in apology and faced Tanaka again. "I didn't mean anything by it."

Tanaka gave him a look. "Why _were_ you staring, then?"

As if Ennoshita could tell Tanaka!

In a way, the businessman lucked out, for Nishinoya emerged from the back. He pulled on his jacket. "I'm heading out, Ryuu."

"Ah. Have a good night, Noya-san."

Nishinoya saw Ennoshita slide his eyes around the room again. "Tsk. Sleepy _and_ wandering eyes," he remarked.

"Noya," Tanaka intoned, but the short man left without prompting.

Ennoshita grimaced. He'd grown accustomed to Nishinoya's bullying, but tonight's remark was thoroughly confusing. "Wandering eyes"? What was _that_ supposed to mean?

Tanaka sighed and nudged the drink toward his customer. "You're just observing them, right?" he guessed.

"Pardon?" Ennoshita drank, though his stomach growled quietly.

"Maybe for work. You're observing people."

"Ah…yes." It was better than telling the truth, so the businessman decided to go along with it.

Besides, Tanaka brightened up when Ennoshita "confirmed" the thought. "See? You're just a quirky guy. Just ignore what Nishinoya says. Now, are you hungry? You've barely eaten the pretzels on the counter."

Ennoshita pursed his lips. Just now, the bartender's words sounded more like him trying to convince himself rather than the businessman… But his stomach growled again, and so he let the topic rest. He checked his watch. "I should probably be getting home."

"You never eat a meal here." Tanaka sounded disappointed.

"Your cook just walked out of here."

"Hey, I can cook. After all, Noya-san's only part-time."

Ennoshita gave him a smile. "Tanaka, I'll see you tomorrow." He reached across the counter and nudged the bartender's shoulder encouragingly. "Goodnight."

"Yeah… 'Night."

Seeing Tanaka's beaten-puppy expression made the short train ride home a lonely one. Ennoshita got home and kicked off his shoes, but no sooner had he gotten his jacket off than his phone trilled. It was the bartender.

_-Tomorrow night. It's a promise._

The businessman chuckled. With Tanaka, it was always a promise. Unspoken or not, it was becoming crystal clear that Tanaka needed to see Ennoshita just as much as Ennoshita needed to see Tanaka. So it was more than a promise.

It was hope.

* * *

The following day did not present the chance to have another lunch date shared with Sugawara and Sawamura. Instead, Sugawara retrieved Ennoshita from his desk and told him they were going out.

Ennoshita fretted when he found himself alone in a car with his boss driving. "Excuse me, but…does our detour have anything to do with Sawamura-san saying something?"

The sandy-haired man blinked and glance left at his subordinate. "Daichi? Oh, the observation thing?" A mischievous smile graced his features. "He let it slip a couple of days after. Sorry about that."

"It's fine as long as you don't try to help me."

"But I kept your job for you!" he whined.

"Sugawara-san."

His boss pouted. "…fine. But do feel free to come to me about things even not work-related." He winked. "From one crow to another. You're not just my subordinate, Ennoshita. You're my kouhai."

Ignoring Sugawara's big brother attitude, Ennoshita got back on track. "Where are we going?"

"Seeing as you were playing me a bit, regarding the work lunches and the promotion, I thought I'd show you some more of the company. Give you a taste of what I do."

Ennoshita frowned. "You speak as though you're retiring."

Sugawara laughed. "No! Ha, I'm not old, and I'm not looking elsewhere for work. But if you decide to accept the promotion—I meant what I said before, about you being my right-hand man. Think of it as being the vice-president to my president of Marketing for Ukai Corp. Or vice-captain to my captain of Ukai Volleyball Club."

"Sugawara-san, I get it. We both love volleyball. You can stop with the analogies."

"Anyway, when you accept the promotion—"

Ennoshita cleared his throat.

" _If_ you accept it," the sandy-haired man corrected, "you'll be my stand-in as necessary. Plus, should you choose and as long as you stay with the company, you'll be the first choice to replace me the day I retire."

Not a bad deal. "And the hours?" The brunet had to ask. The ridiculous workload and heinous hours were what had made him quit almost two months ago.

Sugawara sighed. "They can be demanding when we're in a crunch. _But_ , you're allowed to choose your schedule."

"How do you mean?"

"As in, most everyone doesn't work Sundays. But we higher-ups get to pick one other day off during the week." He smiled gently. "Daichi and I both chose Thursday. It's nice to break the week in half, you know?"

Honestly, Ennoshita had stopped listening. He…could choose another day off? Better pay was nice, but all he could focus on was The Roost's schedule—which had the bar closed on Mondays. Granted, he was planning quite a bit for a nonexistent future so far with Tanaka, but still. They could spend time together outside of the bar. The idea was almost enough to make Ennoshita accept right on the spot, though he didn't, and he tried to mask his anticipation. Sugawara was a bloodhound about such things.

"Back to the point." Sugawara took them out of the city, and they drove for another ten, twenty minutes. "I'll confess, I didn't bring you only for your sake. There's someone I want you to meet." He paused. "Actually, two people. But the second—you can meet her another time. You'll be working with her if you take the position."

"And the person you want me to meet now?" the brunet queried.

The boss genuinely frowned. It was an odd sight on someone so usually cheery. "He's…an old friend. He's not using his talents to the fullest. I was kind of hoping you might play along with me and act as though I'm training you."

"As if I've already accepted the job."

"Yes. I'm thinking that if he meets someone who's fine with taking an executive job—"

"Wait! I'd be an executive?!"

"Yes, Ennoshita. Consider yourself my lady-in-waiting. Where I go, you go. As I was saying, I'm thinking that if he could make a buddy out of you, it might make the transition for him go easier."

Ennoshita eyed Sugawara as they pulled into the parking lot for a large building which resided only about five minutes outside of the closest residential area. The building looked like a converted factory, and this was confirmed as Sugawara drove up near the entrance and Ennoshita watched trucks come and go.

Inside, the place was vast. Boxes were stacked almost to the ceiling, and forklifts scurried around like worker ants. "We'll go in there," Sugawara said, pointing towards the back.

"Is that the office of this place?" Ennoshita asked as they walked in.

Sugawara shook his head. "No. This is the main inventory warehouse for our company. But our guy doesn't work in the office."

"Ah! Incoming!" a voice yelled at them before they were even half inside.

Sugawara grabbed Ennoshita by the arm and yanked him out of the way. They watched a guy on a forklift speed by, and they followed him. He placed the heavy load at a corner column stack in the back and then turned the forklift off.

The man that stepped down…looked a little…wild? Part of his face was obscured by tinted safety goggles, but he had severe five o'clock shadow. His hair was a bit frizzy, but it was _long_ —reaching halfway down his back. He was also about a good ten centimeters taller than Ennoshita, and his build was bigger and slightly stockier than Ennoshita's, as well. This guy definitely did manual labor.

Sugawara held his hand out, which the man shook, and the two clasped their forearms. "It's been a while, Asahi."

He removed his goggles to reveal an intimidating face that warmed when he smiled. "Suga!" He looked at Ennoshita. "A friend?"

"Ennoshita, meet Azumane Asahi. Asahi, Ennoshita Chikara. Our _kouhai_ ," the sandy-haired man added with his usual excitement.

Azumane's eyes widened, but his jaw tensed a bit. "Kouhai, huh…?" He shook Ennoshita's hand. "Well, nice to meet you."

"And you, as well," Ennoshita agreed. He looked around them. "Do you manage the warehouse?"

"Me? Oh, no. I'm just a low-level grunt."

Ennoshita was taken aback. A grunt? Sugawara had given him the impression that Azumane was at least like him—on the track to move on up in the company.

Sugawara must've understood Ennoshita's thoughts. "Now, now, Asahi… You're the senior-most staff person here. You're more than a grunt."

Azumane's expression said he appreciated the positive thinking, but that appreciation didn't reach his eyes. "Suga, grunts provide physical labor. That's what I do. Therefore, I'm a grunt."

The temperature around them dropped a degree or two, and Ennoshita wanted to run. But it struck him: He often ran away when things got tough or complicated. He hadn't joined the volleyball team in high school. He'd quit when he'd been given more work at the company. Now Sugawara had brought him along specifically so he wouldn't run away. Ennoshita had to admit that no one had ever placed such faith in him, so he wanted at least to try. "You've worked here a while?" he asked Azumane.

That did the trick. The two friends turned their attention on him. "Oh…yeah. Almost ten years."

That was surprising. With the way he and Sugawara were so familiar and Sugawara mentioned Ennoshita being their junior, Ennoshita had gotten the idea that maybe Azumane was Sugawara's age. Not so…?

"Oh, he's my and Daichi's age," Sugawara elaborated. "He was the ace for Karasuno, as well."

Now Azumane looked ticked. "Suga…," he warned.

Just then, someone spotted Sugawara and waved him over. The boss excused himself, and Ennoshita and Azumane watched him walk away.

Azumane glanced at Ennoshita. "You were at Karasuno, you say?"

"Yes," the businessman said. "I enjoy volleyball but never joined the team. Too scared of practice," he added with a humble chuckle.

The wild-looking man eased up. "Yeah, it was pretty tough," he agreed. "But we had some good people on the team. People who'd have your back, on and off the court." Azumane frowned, and Ennoshita wondered if he was recalling something unpleasant.

Ennoshita stuck his hands in his pockets and began to walk. "You mentioned you've been here ten years. That's amazing."

Azumane walked with him, also sticking his hands in his pockets, though he didn't look chilly in the least. He wore a short-sleeved black polo compared to Ennoshita's and Sugawara's suits. Ennoshita supposed all the activity kept Azumane warm enough. "I thought about university, but I decided it wasn't for me. So I joined the company right after I graduated from Karasuno."

"Wow… I've heard that Ukai-san coached you guys." Ennoshita paused. He'd heard that from Tanaka, and while Tanaka knew everything, it occurred to Ennoshita that he had yet to mention anything about the others to Sugawara and Sawamura. And something told him it wasn't the best idea to mention them to Azumane, as well…not yet.

"Yeah," Azumane groaned. He undid his ponytail, combed his hair with his fingers, and put it back up in a large, loose bun. "He was brutal, but he could be forgiving. I was lucky he was forgiving enough to offer me a job."

Ennoshita stared at him. "Forgive my rudeness…but is that why you don't think about taking a better position? Ukai-san offered you this job and only this job, so you don't think you can do anything else."

Luckily, Azumane turned out to be a pretty easygoing guy, and he didn't begrudge Ennoshita the insight. "Something like that."

They walked for a while, and Azumane showed him some of the inventory. Azumane was sharp, sharper than he gave himself credit for, because he explained the organizational system to Ennoshita, and Azumane had been the one to develop the system two years ago. Plus, no matter the product, Azumane knew where each and every good was, as well as the pros and cons of each thing made. It made sense now, why Sugawara had brought Ennoshita along. Ennoshita was now witness to Azumane's abilities, and even _he_ wanted the guy to accept the job offer. But, pot calling the kettle black, he knew. He couldn't talk Azumane into it when he himself hadn't given in. Consequently, he told Azumane of Sugawara's plan.

Azumane wasn't surprised. He scratched his cheek. "Suga arranged all this? I'm almost flattered…"

"You should be. I get it now, and I agree with him." Ennoshita met Azumane's gaze head on as their walk slowed to a halt. "Trust yourself, Azumane-san. You can do this."

The taller man frowned. "Tell me that after you give in to Suga," he said with a sigh.

They resumed their walk and wound their way back to meet Sugawara. "Yeah… I suppose I overstepped."

"Not at all." Azumane got his phone out. "I mean it: Tell me after you make your decision. I wouldn't mind talking some more, Ennoshita."

Ennoshita brightened, and the two exchanged info as Sugawara caught up with them. They had to get back to the office, so they parted ways. Azumane didn't seem as upset with Sugawara after speaking to Ennoshita.

"How did you do that?" Sugawara asked on the drive back. "Asahi hasn't warmed up to anyone that much in a long time."

"Really? I spoke honestly with him, is all."

Still, Sugawara seemed bothered. "…did you two talk about work or…?"

What was Sugawara getting at? "Some," Ennoshita replied. "We chatted a little about Karasuno, a little about the promotion. Mostly I let him fill my ear about the stock. That's why I gave him my two cents, that he could do more with the promotion."

"I see."

And yet Sugawara said nothing more about it. The rest of the way, they drove on in silence, and Sugawara didn't even pester him about his own offer. Not once.

* * *

"Nope," Kinoshita said as he, Narita, and Ennoshita ate at their favorite udon shop the following night. "You said it yourself to us, what, a week ago? You're done fretting about work. Fret about you now."

Narita nodded. "So get to the point tonight, Ennoshita—what's on your mind?"

Ennoshita was glad he still had his two best friends. With everything else chaotic, Narita and Kinoshita created some harmony in his life. "All right, then since you won't let me muse about Azumane-san and Sugawara-san…"

They looked at him intently. It was as if they could care less about their connections to Ennoshita's bar and business companions.

"…I've been meaning to ask you. I never did right after it happened, but how did you two…get together?"

To his surprise, Narita groaned and Kinoshita cheered and pumped his fist in the air. "Pay up, Kazu!" the blond said to his lover.

Ennoshita settled them with a look as Narita passed Kinoshita a bill. "You guys bet on me?"

Kinoshita pocketed the money. "Just on what you'd say first. I figured you'd ask us how to go about confessing. Kazuhito thought you'd first tell us that you like Tanaka from The Roost."

The brunet spat out his green tea. " _What_?! I—!"

Narita glared at Kinoshita, who stuck his tongue out playfully at him. "Come on, Ennoshita. It's been obvious since you first told us about the bar. And last month, when Nishinoya provoked you into begging for your job back? We figured he was jealous of you and Tanaka falling for each other."

"No, I'm sure those two are just friends." They beamed at him. "…what?"

"I love how _that's_ what you say instead of denying your attraction."

Ennoshita's face burned bright red. "You guys are awful friends."

"Yeah, we love you, too." Narita finished his udon. "But we get that all this means a lot to you. It's crazy to think we could've known your bosses, coworkers, bar friends long before this."

Kinoshita gasped. "Oh! Perfect! We should meet them!"

Ennoshita pulled a face. "You can't just walk into my office…"

"No, not them. The Roost crew!"

The brunet gave it some thought. It wasn't the worst idea in the world. And he talked about them often enough to Tanaka so that the bartender wanted to meet them, too. "All right," Ennoshita conceded. "But not tonight. It's late enough as it is."

"Good point," Narita said.

They finished up and went home with the promise to meet at The Roost tomorrow night. At home, Ennoshita heard the trill of his phone:

_-Missed you at the bar for a few days. Everything all right?_

Ennoshita texted Tanaka back. _-Sorry. Busy, and meeting a lot of people._

_-Maybe I could cook for you to draw you back. ;P_

The businessman laughed. _-If you've got vinegared sea pineapple, then sure._ He loved that food, but he figured it was fun to tease Tanaka. No way would he have something like that.

The text came a minute later: _-EW. But if you insist._

Ennoshita fell into the chair in his living room, cheeks pink. Tanaka Ryuunosuke was some damned charmer, all right.

* * *

Narita was a minute late the evening of the meet. "Sorry," he apologized once he caught up to Ennoshita. "The train was running late."

Ennoshita didn't mind. "Where's Kinoshita?" he asked. It was strange not to see the two of them together.

"Hisashi will join us in a little bit. He has to stay at the department store for an extra hour since someone else is running late for her shift. But can we go in?" He shivered and sneezed. "It feels more like late November than late October tonight."

"Sure." They went downstairs, and the bar was quiet like usual.

Narita was impressed. "This is a pretty cool place. No music? That's a first."

"Yeah." Ennoshita couldn't be bothered to show Narita around. As soon as they'd entered the bar, his eyes had gone directly to Tanaka, and his heart had swelled. Somehow, it just didn't feel right to let a night pass without seeing the bartender.

Tanaka's face had also lit up, then gone subdued upon noticing Narita behind him. Probably he didn't want to forget a new customer despite Ennoshita being around.

"Tanaka!" he said with a wave as they approached the bar counter. "I want to introduce you—"

"Ah!" Hinata yelled.

Ennoshita and Narita turned. Hinata and Kageyama had arrived, and the redhead was pointing at Ennoshita and his friend.

"Hinata, dumbass, don't yell!" Kageyama snapped at him.

Naturally, the commotion brought Nishinoya forward. The door to the backroom flew open, and his eyes went directly to Hinata. "Shouyou! What's wrong?"

"Both of you, tone it down!" Tanaka growled, red-faced.

Clearly Ennoshita was missing something. "Um…?"

But Hinata found his voice and, still pointing at Ennoshita and Narita, he said to Nishinoya, "The boyfriend!"

"Hold on! _What_?!" Ennoshita exclaimed, and Narita just gaped at the scene playing out.

Nishinoya eyed the newcomer and glared daggers at Ennoshita. "So you finally had the balls to bring him here when Ryuu's been waiting all this time."

" _Noya-san_!" Tanaka yelped. Ennoshita felt as though someone had just cranked the thermostat up.

"Oi, Yamaguchi… Pass me my phone…"

Tanaka whipped his head around and gave the pair in the back of the restaurant his best yakuza glare. "Tsukishima, don't you dare!"

Luckily the only others in the noisy restaurant were Akiteru-san's younger brother, Tsukishima Kei, and Tsukishima's best friend, Yamaguchi Tadashi. But normally they stayed out of the ruckus the others tended to cause. Tonight, Tsukishima smirked at Tanaka's discomfort. "I'm just going to tell our siblings to come break up your little kerfuffle, Tanaka-san." Across the booth from him, Yamaguchi tried to hide his chuckle behind his hand.

The bartender looked at the others. " _ALL RIGHT_. Nishinoya, Hinata, Ennoshita, Ennoshita's friend—in back, _now_. Kageyama! Don't let Tsukishima text my sister!"

Kageyama nodded and diligently made a beeline for Tsukishima, and Ennoshita glimpsed a childish display of keep-away, of which Yamaguchi was too tired to take part, before Tanaka shut the door to the backroom behind him. And though the backroom had been fine with one or two people inside, five _certainly_ pushed the limit of "coziness."

Tanaka crossed his arms in front of his chest, but Nishinoya wouldn't stop giving Ennoshita dirty looks. "All right. _Someone_ say something."

Narita took it all in and timidly raised his hand. When no one jumped on him, he motioned to Hinata. "Ennoshita…that's the guy who was looking at you funny a month ago, in the bookstore."

The businessman opened his mouth to ask what Narita meant, but it came back to him. After a fight—his first—with Tanaka, Ennoshita had gone to Narita and Kinoshita's place and filled them in on all his worries. But when dropping Kinoshita off to work the following day, Ennoshita and Narita had taken a detour at the bookstore. Narita had mentioned Ennoshita being spied on at the time, but Ennoshita hadn't glimpsed the onlooker, nor had he asked Narita for a description.

Hinata looked ready to puke, he was so nervous. "Irk." He covered his mouth.

"Don't puke!" Tanaka and Nishinoya yelled at him.

Hinata took a couple of breaths and managed to calm himself. "S-Sorry… I just… Stressful situations…"

Nishinoya sighed. "It's fine, Shouyou. I'll explain." He shot one more glare at Ennoshita before facing Tanaka. "Ryuu, once you met Ennoshita here, you changed. You were a little happier. I had a feeling…so I liked him in the beginning, too, for your sake."

The bartender looked ready to die on the spot, and Ennoshita wanted to join him. This was _not_ how a confession was supposed to go…!

"Anyway, Shouyou was at the bookstore that day."

"Running an errand for a coworker at the kindergarten!" Hinata interjected.

"And he thought he saw _you_ and Ennoshita together."

"Even Kageyama and I had our suspicions about you two. So did Yacchan."

Ennoshita felt more confused than before. "'Yacchan'?" he echoed.

"Pretty business lady with the star-barrette ponytail," Hinata supplied. Ah. He meant the short blonde woman Ennoshita had seen around who was not Tanaka's sister.

"When Shouyou got a better look and saw it wasn't you with him," Nishinoya continued, "he told me. And I've kept an eye on him ever since." Nishinoya grimaced at Ennoshita.

Poor Narita sighed. "If I may…" He veered away when he saw Tanaka's inscrutable expression. "I think the idea here is that you people think I'm dating Ennoshita."

Hinata's head bobbed up and down, while Nishinoya gave them a "Yeah, and what of it?" stare. Tanaka stared at the ground quietly.

"That's completely not the case." He laughed gently. "I already have a partner. He's just running a bit late. We wanted to meet the people at Ennoshita's new home."

Ennoshita nudged his friend. "I'm not here _that_ often, am I?" But Hinata nodded vigorously in response.

Nishinoya suddenly lost all his steam. He eyed the friends warily. "Then… Ennoshita…you _don't_ have a type?"

"What?"

"When Shouyou described your friend, I thought maybe you had a thing for guys with shaved heads."

Ennoshita shook his head because he couldn't trust his voice right now. Nor could he look at Tanaka.

"And your type isn't grumpy either? 'Cause I saw you looking at Kageyama the other night."

Hinata screeched and Ennoshita found his voice. " _No_! I was just—observing."

Narita knew exactly what he meant. "Ohh. The observation thing…"

Tanaka picked his head up at last. "What do you mean, 'the observation thing'?"

By now, Nishinoya was friendly again. "Ah. So Ryuu's your only type. Got it!"

Tanaka shoved his friend. "And I told you that he was probably just with a friend." He looked at Narita. "What do you mean by 'the observation thing'?"

"He was watching couples in love—"

Hinata squeaked. "Crap! Are Kageyama and I really that lovey-dovey?"

Nishinoya was smiling. "Getting up the courage, right, Ennoshita? Good for—"

The bartender and the businessman couldn't stand it anymore. " _Out_ , all of you!" they snarled, and Tanaka opened the door for Ennoshita to push them out. Once the door was closed, the noise in the restaurant picked up, and it was as if they'd forgotten all about those two. But the two in question hadn't forgotten.

Ennoshita cleared his throat and tugged on his shirt's collar. "That…could've gone a _lot_ better."

Tanaka collapsed on the stool in front of the liquor shelf and held his head in his hands. "…can we start over? Just—take this from the top?"

The brunet sighed. "Unlikely. All the beans have been spilled." A minute of silence passed between them. "Was that it? Nishinoya hated me because he thought I was a player?"

"Yeah…" Tanaka groaned. "I told him that he didn't know the full story, but even _I_ doubted sometimes… After all, we've only known each other for two months."

Ennoshita nodded, though Tanaka didn't see the motion. "I'm glad you had faith in me."

"Is that what we're calling it these days?"

The businessman leaned again the door and slid against it until he sat on the floor. He listened to the sound of his own breathing for a few moments. "Not just with this. Befriending me, encouraging me with the job hunt. Listening to my stories of work, no matter how drab they may be." He thought back to something Terushima had said. Ennoshita fully understood it now. "You put up with me."

Tanaka finally stared at him. "Put up with…? You're interesting, Ennoshita, trust me. I… I don't know anyone like you, promise." He got up and came and sat beside Ennoshita in front of the door. "Besides, _you_ put up with _me_ , and my thuggish face. Everyone else is scared by it." Yet he sounded proud of that fact.

"Frankly, your face isn't scary. It's cute." Ennoshita smirked to himself and tried to stifle his laughter as Tanaka ducked his head.

"…jerk."

"Now, is that any way to treat a loyal customer?"

Tanaka glared at him and grabbed a jar off the liquor shelf. He opened it and stuck it in Ennoshita's face. "Just be quiet and eat your vinegared sea pineapple."

"You really…?" Honestly, the gesture was quite touching.

" _I_ might not like it, but you do. It makes you happy, doesn't it?"

Ennoshita took a slice and munched on it. Sawamura's words came floating back to him. _"Just focus on being happy."_ So he turned to Tanaka and pecked his lips.

Tanaka gawked at him.

"Sorry. That tasted sour, didn't it?" Ennoshita wanted to kick himself. Go figure that being impulsive wouldn't work for him the one time he needed it.

The bartender looked away. "Yeah," he grumbled. "Make sure it tastes sweet next time."

Ennoshita Chikara laughed. He was really glad things had changed between them. Certifiably glad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3 Yes! More cameos! XD Honestly, Terushima was a random addition, but I think he worked well here. Typing that part up (because all of these fics I've written longhand first 0_0) made me pause, because this could've gone completely differently if Ennoshita had let Terushima set him up…but I didn't want that to happen, and I'm glad things have developed thusly, especially with Nishinoya no longer being a "villain." (Also, Terushima/Misaki because hells yeah.) :D And Asahi… Oh, Asahi. XD We'll see more of him, don't worry, and we'll meet even more of the Haikyuu! cast in the next fic. Asahi has appeared for a reason, other than to be a friend to Ennoshita. …and have I mentioned my love for Narita, Kinoshita, and NariKino? Because THEM. 8D *loves the 2nd-yr trio* Song to set the mood for "Recommendation": "[Love Satellite](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC7YT_ouhOk)" by Clazziquai. *happy sigh*
> 
> So yes. The timeline's now at the end of October, so you'll know what's next if you've been paying attention… ;]
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review! "Promotion," the fourth story in the Birds of a Feather AU, coming soon to AO3. In the meantime, hit up the BoaF tumblr page for art! :D
> 
> -mew! -w-


	4. Promotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ennoshita and Tanaka are barely starting their relationship, but the ride is already bumpy. The businessman feels doomed, even though he has more friends and allies than he realizes. .::established!EnnoTana::.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic: "Promotion"
> 
> Characters: Ennoshita/Tanaka, Sugawara, Asahi, etc.
> 
> Rating: T (about time, right?)
> 
> Words: 10,047

"It's not your recipe, but it's still good," Ennoshita Chikara told Tanaka Ryuunosuke as the latter brought him a drink.

Tanaka sat down, frowning. "If Sis had just listened to me and let me bartend the reception…"

Ennoshita gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't worry, Tanaka. You were burdened enough. You only wrote your maid of honor's—"

The shaven-haired man glared daggers at him.

"—your best man's speech last night," Ennoshita amended. He stifled a snicker. Tanaka hadn't been the normal kind of best man at his sister, Saeko's, wedding. No, Akiteru-san had had his own younger brother be the best man, and Saeko had wanted Tanaka to be the same for her. But everyone had been poking fun at him the past three days for that, calling him the maid of honor.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" Tanaka hissed.

Ennoshita shrugged. "You were right, though. Your cooking's delicious."

Tanaka sighed. Ennoshita almost felt sorry for him. Only three nights ago had their feelings for each other been revealed by their friends, and that same night they hadn't been able to keep Tsukishima from texting his older brother and Saeko about the ruckus. Basically, everyone now knew, and they'd not really had a minute alone. The first night, Saeko insisted her brother invite Ennoshita as his date for the wedding. The second night, Tanaka had tried to cook Ennoshita something nice during his shift at his sister's bar, The Roost. But there was always at least one other person around. So last night, Tanaka had invited Ennoshita upstairs to his apartment above the bar and cooked for him again. Yet they were their own worst enemies, and the sudden reality of being alone together had made things _much_ too tense.

Not that Ennoshita didn't want to do anything. It was simply too early in their relationship to do such things.

The bartender leaned back in his seat and glanced at Ennoshita. "Be honest. Considering I wrote some notes last night and winged it for the rest, how was the speech?"

The businessman grinned. "Very you."

Tanaka gave him a look, but his face flooded with a smidge of color. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it was half bragging about your sister and half threatening Akiteru-san if he ever hurts her. Especially now with a kid on the way."

"No…! Did I really sound that bad?"

"I wouldn't worry. Saeko-san seemed to agree with all of it and Akiteru-san was sweating, so I'd say you did a good job."

Tanaka perked up. "Oh. All right. I mean, damn straight!"

Ennoshita laughed, and they watched the bride and groom and other guests dance. The music was slow and soft at the moment, and Ennoshita was tempted to ask his lover to dance. But the chance flew by as a lively tune started up and intimacy jumped out the window.

As it turned out, Tanaka was perfectly content only to talk with Ennoshita. "So you have to work tomorrow?"

"Yes. I told Sugawara about the wedding—he passes on his congratulations, by the way—and he said it's all right if I'm a little late."

"Nice. Although please don't get drunk."

"Wasn't planning on it." He eyed the other man warily. "…why?"

"Because Noya-san and Hinata are funny drunks. I mean, a handful," Tanaka snickered, jabbing a thumb in the general direction of the two shorties. They were vigorously leaping and sliding all over the floor.

Ennoshita frowned. "Should we get Kageyama to come collect Hinata?"

"Nah. This is them _sober_."

They laughed, drawing the attention from surrounding tables. Tanaka met Ennoshita's eyes, but it was crystal clear that neither of them felt guilty. Ennoshita, however, had the decency to suggest they move elsewhere.

The couple exited the reception hall and strolled through the hall that circled the main venue of the building. It was much quieter out here, despite the noise coming from another wedding's reception in the main hall. "Sounds as though they've got a couple hundred bodies in there," Tanaka remarked impressively.

"Your sister's wedding is nice with just the hundred," the brunet said.

"Yeah. Though she and I are pretty loud on our own. It's a miracle anyone can stand to be in the same room sometimes."

Ennoshita shook his head and took Tanaka's hand, not letting go even when they came upon one or two other people in the mostly empty hall. "I wouldn't call it a miracle. It means there are people who love you enough not to notice the volume anymore."

The taller man sighed and tugged Ennoshita a bit closer to him. He opened his mouth to say something but growled when nothing came out. Ennoshita smiled and almost laughed at the fact that he'd made Tanaka speechless.

It wasn't a laughing matter, though, when Tanaka made a turn and landed them in the doorway of a vacant reception room. Tanaka stared intently at Ennoshita and pressed the brunet up against the doorjamb. But all he could do was arrange his hands on Ennoshita's hips. Otherwise, he looked pretty docile and as if he was waiting for permission.

Ennoshita thought for a moment about their position. Not even minding that it was still early in their relationship, but their location… Things weren't exactly ideal.

Then again, it was hard to say no to a scary face with puppy eyes.

Ennoshita leaned in, touching their noses. "Bad idea, Tanaka. Be patie—" Yet he didn't have the chance to finish his word. Tanaka swallowed it, and Ennoshita was glad for the doorjamb at his back, helping to hold him up. Tanaka's grip on his hips tightened, and Ennoshita dug his fingertips into Tanaka's shoulder and chest.

Tanaka was the first to break for a breath. He rested his forehead against his lover's. "Gotta say… I learned patience when I grew older, but you're making me lose it, Ennoshita."

The businessman's neck warmed, and not from the room's overhead lights. He placed his hands at the other man's collar. "This isn't the right time or place—"

"Then when and where?" The bartender furrowed his brow. "…sorry. I just—I get too excited when we're alone. Which hasn't happened much."

"I know." Ennoshita smoothed Tanaka's shirt and jacket and straightened his own. "But let's not rush this." He waited for Tanaka to let him move.

Tanaka did back down with a large sigh and another growl caught in his throat. "All right…"

Ennoshita smiled gratefully at him, and they returned hand-in-hand to the reception. Dancing was still happening, but another slow number was being repeated. Without prompting, Tanaka drew Ennoshita onto the floor. But Ennoshita had a feeling that Tanaka had something else to say. He exhaled and asked. "What is it?"

The thuggish man pouted. "Nothing."

"Tanaka."

"Well, just…" Tanaka moved them out of earshot as they danced by Hinata and Kageyama, and Saeko and Akiteru-san. "It always felt like more than friendship between us, kind of like we were already doing the dating thing. And then sometimes you're such an awful tease, looking sly like that."

Ennoshita gave him a disbelieving look. "Like what?"

"Like _that_ ," Tanaka whined. "The others think you look sleepy, but I know better, dammit."

The businessman chuckled. "Haven't you ever heard of things in moderation?"

They made their way around the floor again before Tanaka answered. "You aren't someone to be experienced in moderation, Ennoshita." Tanaka raised his eyebrows, but that wolfish grin creeping onto his face ruined the effect, though. Ennoshita glared at him. The rest of the evening was spent with Ennoshita getting redder in the face every time Tanaka said something _else_ sexy or romantic.

* * *

Sugawara poked his head into Ennoshita's new office the following afternoon. He wore a Cheshire grin. "So…did you have fun?"

Ennoshita glanced at his boss before returning to the document on his monitor. "Yes."

"And?"

"You asked me an absolute question, Sugawara-san, to which I gave an absolute answer. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't leave open the door connecting our offices so you can waltz in whenever."

His boss made a childish face, but, truthfully, Ennoshita didn't mind. He owed Sugawara a lot. Months ago Ennoshita had quit his job here at Ukai Corp.…but it had never been official because Sugawara had noticed Ennoshita had been overworked and had filed paperwork for Ennoshita to go on leave. It had given Ennoshita the chance to collect his thoughts and had guaranteed his job was still there when he returned after only a month to beg for it back. Sugawara had been pushing Ennoshita to take a promotion after his return and his preparation had secured a new acquisition for the company, and Ennoshita had resisted for a long while. But…after finally confessing to Tanaka and being confessed to _by_ Tanaka, Ennoshita had finally decided he could handle everything being thrown at him. So the day after getting together with Tanaka, Ennoshita had accepted Sugawara's offer.

Of course that made Sugawara happy. But he could care less about having successfully manipulated his kouhai.

" _En_ -no- _shi_ -ta…!" Sugawara moaned. "Come on! I've not pressed you for details until now."

The businessman kept playing dumb. "About the wedding? It was lovely. Small, but loud. Fall colors."

"Goddammit, man!" The boss stomped over and turned Ennoshita's flat screen monitor away from the brunet. "You didn't have a sudden change of heart days ago to have this office. You landed yourself a boyfriend, didn't you?"

Ennoshita spluttered. What was the advantage to this new office arrangement?! Before, he'd been out on the floor, at a desk behind Terushima. Now he had an enclosed space which had two doors—one to the floor and one shared with Sugawara's office right next door. At least the door leading to the floor was closed so no one would overhear them.

"Well?" The sandy-haired man even began tapping his foot.

"Sugawara-san…"

Sugawara crouched down and sat on his haunches in front of Ennoshita's desk, crossing his arms on the tabletop and resting his chin on them. "I figured something would happen after you copped to observing me and Daichi to watch how it works between two men. Go on. You can tell me. I'm your reliable senpai." He beamed, and Ennoshita rolled his eyes.

"All right, all right… Yes, I confessed to my friend, and the feeling was mutual."

The other man's pale brown eyes widened, but he looked happy. "That's great, Ennoshita! Hey, was it the friend whose sister's wedding you went to?"

Jeez, Sugawara was sharp! Ennoshita calmed himself and hoped his response wasn't plain on his face.

But it must've been, because his boss's grin grew. "Aw, that's sweet. So you were his date then?"

Despite the pushiness, Ennoshita…kind of didn't mind opening up to Sugawara. The brunet had yet to tell his best friends, Narita and Kinoshita, about recent developments, but Sugawara wasn't a bad choice. "Yes," Ennoshita answered at last.

"Wow…you move fast."

"Not really." Ennoshita leaned back in his chair. "We've known each other for a little over two months now, so it was pretty easy to fall into the romance once our feelings were out there." He frowned.

Sugawara quirked an eyebrow. "I sense a 'but' coming."

"Well… We've not had a whole lot of time to ourselves. And the few times we've been alone, it—I just feel as though we're perilously too close to moving too fast." The businessman leaned on his desk on his elbows. "I… I don't want to rush things."

"Don't _I_ know it?" Sugawara remarked, standing. "It felt like forever before you warmed up to the idea of your current position in the company." He ran a hand through his hair and sifted through the pens in the holder on Ennoshita's desk. "But is there a problem?"

"He seems to be ready for anything. He said as much the other day, and I kind of laughed it off."

Sugawara froze and gaped at him. "No. You _didn't_."

Ennoshita's frown deepened to a grimace. "What?"

The sandy-haired man winced and slapped his forehead. " _Ennoshita_ …! Your lover tells you he's ready and you _laugh_?"

"I just don't think _I'm_ ready…maybe."

"Then say as much! Laughing is no way to go. He probably felt insulted after being honest like that."

"Really?" The brunet slouched. "But he seemed fine for the rest of the night…"

Sugawara gave him a halfheartedly encouraging smile. "Maybe, maybe not. But if you get through today promptly, I'd go see him if I were you." He turned to go when he turned back on his heel. "Or you should make the most of your new schedule and spend Monday with him." There was a knowing glint in his eye.

"…yeah, I chose Mondays off because he has Mondays off, too."

His boss beamed at him. "Don't stress too much, Ennoshita, but do be straight with him." He paused. "Ah, well, as straight as guys like us can be." He went back to his office laughing at his joke the whole way.

Ennoshita guessed Sugawara had a very good point. Yet that last joke got him thinking, and he wasn't very sure he liked where his thoughts were taking him….

* * *

Often, most employees at the Ukai Corporation sporting goods company took Sundays off. Executives—such as Ennoshita now was—were allowed to choose an additional day off. Sugawara and Sawamura from Production had chosen Thursday, so the couple could break their work week in half. Ennoshita had taken his cue from them and decided on Monday, the one day of the week The Roost was closed. That way he might spend time with Tanaka outside of the bar. But Ennoshita had yet to tell Tanaka about his new schedule and, after that conversation with Sugawara, Ennoshita took that Sunday to decide how to come clean with Tanaka regarding their intimacy. Frankly, nothing was coming to mind.

He rang Narita, who picked up on the second ring. "Ennoshita. What's up?"

"Ugh, issues," the brunet griped. He stretched out on the couch in his apartment and tilted his head back as he stared at the ceiling. "Hey, is Kinoshita around, too?"

There was a beep. "You're on speakerphone, since Hisashi and I are both home," Narita supplied.

"Hi, Ennoshita!" Kinoshita chirped.

Ennoshita smiled to himself. Some things, pleasantly, never changed. He was glad his childhood friends were like that. "…hey."

"What's wrong?" they queried in unison.

"I got together with Tanaka."

Something fell as Kinoshita gasped. "About time," Narita grumbled.

"What'd you drop?"

"A bowl," Kinoshita answered. "But that's not important. And why are you telling us this over the phone?! Get your ass over here!"

"I appreciate the offer, but not today, guys. I've got some thinking to do."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "You didn't break up already, did you?" Narita asked.

"No! And thanks for the vote of confidence!" The businessman pulled a face and told them how things had unfolded, up to and including Sugawara's advice.

"You're probably overthinking things," Narita said. "But it's fine if you mean what you said to Sugawara about not feeling ready for anything yourself."

Ennoshita sat up with a groan. "But I think I'm ready for most things…"

Kinoshita clicked his tongue at Ennoshita. "If he's serious about you, he'll definitely wait until you're ready. I waited for Kazuhito."

"Hey!" Narita scolded. Ennoshita imagined he was turning pink.

"But don't overthink things, and be honest with him," Kinoshita continued. "Tanaka strikes me as the kind of guy who won't hold a grudge if you make an effort. He seemed nice when we met him last week, though his face…"

Ennoshita snickered. Tanaka _was_ one of the nicest people he knew, but that frightening face was adorable only to him. "To be honest, you guys have told me nothing I didn't already know," he said.

His friends laughed. "Isn't that exactly why you called?" Narita asked.

"Probably."

"So go see Tanaka tomorrow," Kinoshita urged. "And treat me and Kazu to udon the next time we go out."

"What? Why?"

"Because we're your best friends and you should've told _us_ everything first!" the other man whined.

Narita quieted him and turned off the speakerphone. "Goodnight, Ennoshita, and stay in touch."

* * *

Dressing in casual khakis and a long-sleeved dark blue polo late Monday morning felt so strange. Ennoshita was so used to donning a suit every day that suits were akin to a second skin for him.

He checked his reflection in the mirror in the hallway before putting on a heavy jacket. He looked all right. Nothing like Tanaka in his black jeans with chains, but all right.

The train ride to The Roost passed by in a flash, but Ennoshita didn't head directly for the bar. Instead he set out on foot to a little bakery he knew which sold excellent melon bread, according to Nishinoya. Ennoshita had overheard Tanaka and Nishinoya talking about it, and he'd learned from hanging out with Tanaka alone that it was the bartender's favorite food. Melon bread would be the best ice breaker for today.

Ennoshita bought a fresh bread and wound his way back to the bar. He entered the restaurant's stairwell but, instead of going down to the actual bar, he turned to the second stairwell, to the left, and headed up to the loft apartment in the top half of the building. He knocked on Tanaka's door and waited.

Tanaka answered the door in sweatpants and with a towel draped over his shoulders—someone was obviously freshly showered. "Oh, Ennoshita, hey. Come on in."

The businessman nodded his thanks and stepped inside. He paused in the doorway to shrug out of his jacket, during which time Tanaka found a tight t-shirt to slip over his head.

"You should've told me you were coming," the shaven-haired man stated. He went into the kitchen and took a juice drink from the fridge. "Want anything?"

"Water's fine." Ennoshita held up the plastic shopping bag. "I brought melon bread."

Tanaka's eyes lit up. "Eh, really? Thanks!" He took the bag and opened the small box but stopped. "Wait—shouldn't you be at work?"

"Oh, I have the day off."

"Huh? _How_? I thought you were drowning over there." He passed Ennoshita a glass of water, and then the two went and sat in the living room. Tanaka turned the television down.

"I meant to tell you…" Ennoshita faced his lover. "I took the promotion."

Surprisingly, Tanaka was silent. He pursed his lips and broke the melon bread into pieces, eating a bit at a time. "Um…congratulations…?"

"You're not happy." Ennoshita sighed and faced the television.

"No, it's not that!" Tanaka corrected. But he frowned. "I just thought, with you just getting back into the swing of things, you'd push the advancement off. I guess I'll be seeing less of you now."

Ah, so that was all it was. Ennoshita smiled softly. "No, you'll be seeing even more of me. I get to take Mondays off now, actually, and my workload is more than manageable these days."

"Eh? Mondays off? Why Mon—" It was apparent by the flush of his skin that Tanaka understood Ennoshita's reasons. "…damn you, Ennoshita."

The businessman laughed. "For what?"

"For being so suave!" Tanaka rolled his eyes and slouched against Ennoshita's right arm. He sighed and reached for Ennoshita's hand, playing with the latter's fingers.

Ennoshita used the remote to turn the TV up again, and he sipped his water. It was nice, relaxing with Tanaka like this.

They got through one long infomercial before the thuggish man spoke up. "Hey."

The brunet decided to play coy. "Hmm?"

Tanaka sat up straight and slipped his arms around his lover's waist. He nuzzled Ennoshita. "You really should've told me about your new schedule."

Ennoshita kept his mouth shut, fairly certain he couldn't get more than a moan out when Tanaka playfully bit his earlobe. The businessman shrugged.

"You could've come over yesterday and stayed, y'know."

The brunet closed his eyes, suddenly sensitive to every movement of the other man, every rustle of fabric, and every push of air that created goose bumps on the backs of his hands with each motion Tanaka made. Hyperawareness—that was what this was called, Ennoshita remembered.

Not one to take the other's silence as permission, Tanaka gently turned Ennoshita's face towards his and kissed him. Happy butterflies bloomed in Ennoshita's stomach. And yet…

"Hold on," Ennoshita gasped, nudging Tanaka away.

Tanaka pouted. "You're not gonna laugh at my impatience like last time, are you?" he drawled.

Damn Sugawara for being right…! Ennoshita shook his head. "No, that's not it. Honestly, Tanaka."

"Then what?" Tanaka disentangled himself from Ennoshita and reached for his drink on the coffee table.

Frankly, the abrupt loss of Tanaka's body heat chilled Ennoshita more than he wished. But he needed to be honest with Tanaka. "I—"

"Is it the time? The place?" Tanaka's expression was borderline yakuza. "Do you not like it here?"

Ennoshita settled him with a firm stare. "Hey. I didn't say that. If you'll quiet for a moment, I'll get my piece said."

Tanaka's pout deepened to a grimace, but he conceded.

"I'm just not sure how ready I am for intimacy. Or for what level of intimacy."

The bartender finished his canned juice drink and stood. "That's all?"

Ennoshita didn't like Tanaka's nonchalance. "What do you mean, 'that's all'? This is a big step for me."

"No, I agree. But it's natural to feel about someone so intensely that you want all of them at one time."

The butterflies disappeared from Ennoshita's gut. "…I wouldn't know," he mumbled.

Tanaka blinked in surprise. "Really? That's never happened to you before?"

"I've never had a serious relationship."

The shaven-haired man smiled bashfully. "Ha, I'm your first? I'm flattered."

But Ennoshita clung to the sinking feeling in his chest. "It's happened to you, though, hasn't it?"

"The intense attraction? Yeah." Tanaka waved dismissively. "But everyone's different, Ennoshi—" He stopped when he saw the dark look on the brunet's face.

"I'm a complete novice at this," Ennoshita grumbled, his grip on his glass tight.

"Hey, man, everyone starts somewhere," Tanaka offered cautiously. "I mean, when I was in high school, Noya-san and I idolized one of our senpai, Kiyoko-san, who was a real beauty. Granted, she was the only woman who ever won over my heart. Noya can be pretty hot when he gets all manly, and Hinata is adorable—"

Ennoshita didn't want to hear any more. He got up and headed for the door.

Tanaka cursed. "Wait, Ennoshita, don't leave. I'm just stating that things work differently for everyone. Look at yourself. You're the first openly gay guy I've dated—"

"Stop." Ennoshita hastily tugged his coat on. "Just…stop."

But the bartender gave him a wary look. "You… _are_ gay, right?"

The businessman stared at the floor.

"You aren't one of those straight guys who would lead a guy on just for fun— _right_?"

Ah, Tanaka's voice sounded so dry.

Ennoshita lifted his head a little. He watched Tanaka clench his fists at his side. "…I just remembered. I have a lot of prep work to do for the bar today," Tanaka lied. "So please leave."

Ennoshita nodded and left. He didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Days went by and Ennoshita heard nothing from Tanaka. No phone calls, no texts. Ennoshita didn't try him either.

Sugawara walked on eggshells around him, likely sensing the depressed mood. Sawamura entered their office boisterously one day, but Sugawara quieted him with a single look. Ennoshita didn't want to be around the couple, even if they _were_ friendly with him.

However, while Ennoshita could blow those two off indefinitely, that was not the same case for his two best friends. Ignoring their calls only succeeded in filling his inbox up with text messages.

From Kinoshita:

_-En~no~shi~ta~ C'mon! What's going on? We haven't heard from you in a week!_

From Narita:

_-Look, if we did something, tell us. If something's going on, tell us. Either way you must talk to us. Otherwise Hisashi and I will come knocking._

The threat of an impromptu visit sobered him up enough that he hastily replied.

_-Not now. Sick. Don't want to share._

A little white lie couldn't hurt, he figured. And it wasn't even much of a lie. He _was_ sick: a little heartsick as well as somewhat sick of himself.

A full week passed with no visits to The Roost and without any interaction with Tanaka, but Ennoshita couldn't douse the turmoil in himself. How could Tanaka be so…so _simple_ about himself and love and attraction? The way he spoke, it sounded as though Tanaka was an expert on love, with experience, and with confidence in knowing that he liked men.

But Ennoshita? The businessman had to laugh darkly at himself as he went through his inbox and deleted the dozens of concerned texts from Kinoshita and from Narita. He didn't know anything. He was a virgin in love, and the newness…it all scared him. His few college dates with female friends of friends—they'd never gone anywhere, but they'd never convinced him that he might play for the other team.

Old advice from Sawamura reminded him to think about gender last where love was concerned. But Ennoshita wasn't so sure. Weren't things very different if it was two men instead of a man and a woman?

He was taken out of his thoughts as his phone trilled with a new message. Thinking it Narita or Kinoshita again, his thumb immediately hovered over the "Delete?" button. But the number didn't belong to either of his friends. In fact, it was a number Ennoshita didn't recognize. He opened the text.

_-Chikara! Can I call you Chikara? I'm gonna call you Chikara. Chikara, where~ are~ you~? Ryuu's all mopey and depressed and won't tell me anything. I know you're his remedy, so come cheer him up, 'kay? And COME BY THE BAR! Your friends miss you. :D NOYA_

It was a good sign that Nishinoya had decided to call him by his first name. Ennoshita had noted a while ago that Nishinoya only did so with those he felt closest to, and it really was something considering Ennoshita and Nishinoya hadn't gotten chummy right away as Nishinoya had mistaken Narita for Ennoshita's boyfriend and therefore thought him an unsuitable match for Tanaka.

But maybe Nishinoya's first impression of him had been right. Maybe Ennoshita _was_ a bad match for Tanaka. Especially rereading Nishinoya's text at the mention of Tanaka. Mopey and depressed? That was exactly how Ennoshita felt right now. No way could he cure someone else when he himself was feeling that way. Besides… Being called Tanaka's remedy only made his heart feel heavier. Ennoshita ignored the wet pricking at the backs of his eyes and the oncoming headache that accompanied his heavy heart.

The brunet shook himself and wondered how Nishinoya had gotten his info, not remembering when they had exchanged it. He texted the shorty as much.

Nishinoya's reply?

_-I lifted Ryuu's phone off him when he wasn't looking! c:_

It was almost enough to make Ennoshita laugh…almost.

The businessman added Nishinoya to his contacts list and then scrolled through the few other names there. A recently added one reminded him of his responsibilities to a newly made friend, so Ennoshita dialed the number. It was five o'clock, so who knew if he'd reach him?

Yet the other person answered. "Azumane," the older man stated. Over the phone, his voice sounded even deeper.

"Ah, Azumane-san. This is Ennoshita."

"Ah!" Azumane chuckled. "I was wondering if Suga had worked you over yet."

Ennoshita felt himself smile, just a smidge. "Yeah," he said exasperatedly. "I caved."

"You seem like a nice guy, Ennoshita, but Suga's persistent. I knew it'd only be a matter of time before you accepted the promotion."

The brunet ran a hand through his short hair—which, he noted, was getting a little on the long side. "You don't sound nervous talking about promotions," he pointed out.

"Uh, well…" Azumane chuckled again, anxiously this time. "I promised myself I'd give in, too, if you touched base."

Ennoshita's smile turned knowing. "Good for you, Azumane-san. You had decided to advance no matter what in the end."

"Yeah…"

"So what happens now?"

"Well, I'm taking an early dinner break, which is why you caught me. But I've got to steel my nerves, so I'll tell the higher-ups tomorrow."

"Will the new job take you out of the warehouse?"

Azumane sighed. "A bit, but the warehouse is my home."

Ennoshita admired Azumane's dedication to the company. "You should call or message me if you're ever at headquarters. We should grab lunch sometime."

"Eh, really? That'd be nice." Funny how Azumane's kind and polite tone clashed with his wild look. "Oh, I need to finish eating and get back to work. Sorry, Ennoshita."

"No, it's fine." Ennoshita paused, thoughtful. "I'm glad I called."

"Actually…me, too. But please don't tell Suga," the older man bemoaned.

Ennoshita did finally laugh. "I won't. I know he'd never let you live it down."

Azumane released a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you so much…! Later, Ennoshita."

"Ah, bye." The line disconnected, and Ennoshita wished their conversation had gone on a little longer. Nothing like work-related items to distract him from his troubles….

* * *

Three days later, Ennoshita truly meant that he would embrace work as a distraction from everything else.

Sugawara had found out later that same morning that Azumane had accepted the job offer. "It's like the gang's back together…!" he sniffled that night when he, Sawamura, and Ennoshita walked out together after work.

"Why?" Ennoshita asked.

Sawamura sighed. "It's just because we were the third years at our volleyball club, and our team really came together then."

"Only three third years? How many underclassmen were on the team?" Ennoshita had heard Tanaka talk some about their team and so knew that Tanaka, Nishinoya, Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi had been on the team as well, but that sounded like an awfully small club.

"Quite a few," Sawamura replied. "But there were three third-year _players_. One of our managers was in our year, too, a girl."

Wow. A female crow. Tanaka had never mentioned a female manager…no, wait, there was Yachi, that woman who came by The Roost occasionally. Nishinoya and Hinata called her "Yacchan"—they'd known her at Karasuno, too. But Ennoshita had thought her to be Hinata and Kageyama's age. Maybe she just looked that young…?

Thoughts of Karasuno and Ennoshita's six degrees of separation from its volleyball club members ebbed until two days later, when Sugawara told him that Thursday morning that they'd have a lunch meeting.

"Lunch is catered today," the sandy-haired man informed his subordinate. He hummed behind his desk as Ennoshita got in.

"What's the occasion?" the brunet asked.

"The memo says it's for company managers. And supervisors," Sugawara added when Ennoshita opened his mouth to try and get out of it.

Ennoshita sighed. "Well, if there's no helping it."

"Hey, Daichi and I will be there. Asahi, too."

"Azumane-san?" He perked up.

"Hey…! Why is Asahi your favorite senpai…?" Sugawara mewled.

Ennoshita chuckled and messaged Azumane later in the morning.

_-Heard about the luncheon. Don't think that counts as grabbing lunch, though._

Azumane's reply came a few minutes later.

_-I figured. Looking forward to seeing you. Sit_ _ between _ _Suga and me, Ennoshita. He hasn't stopped talking about how proud he is of me since he found out, and my nerves are bad enough as it stands…_

Ennoshita felt for the guy, but he didn't blame him. Besides, lunch was just a few hours away, and time ticked down leisurely. Sugawara kept to himself in his own office. Terushima on the floor had a minor issue he though was major which Ennoshita easily resolved. Ennoshita completed half of the current project on his desk. Then, it was lunchtime.

"Bring me back a plate of appetizers…!" Terushima insisted when they walked past his desk.

Sugawara turned him around in his chair. "Get back to work, Terushima."

Sawamura met them in the elevator up. Also in the elevator were the Engineering and Accounts managers, Yamazaki and Izuki, along with their supervisors. "I haven't decided on one yet," Sawamura explained when they got to the top floor. "I've recommended Ikejiri, but he's trying to decide what's best for his family."

Considering Ikejiri _had_ a family to care for, Ennoshita thought it was a no-brainer. But to each his own.

The top floor of the headquarters was actually the company president's own. The lobby was rather lavish, even compared to the nicer amenities on the lower floors, with a marble floor and expensive-looking furniture. The secretary's desk looked nicer than even Sugawara's—maybe it was dark oak or cedar.

There was no difficulty in finding the luncheon at the end of the floor. Aside from Yamazaki and Izuki, Ennoshita recognized Seo, the Sporting Specialty manager. She was one of few female executives and just another face amidst the other half-dozen faces in the noisy room.

Azumane waited for them at the doorway. "It smells nice in here," he commented. He looked different today—much more put together.

"Ah! You shaved!" Sugawara gasped.

Azumane gave him a sheepish look. "I only tidied up my beard…"

"I'm digging the long braid, Asahi," Sawamura lightly teased.

"Well, I wasn't going to chop it off…!" He gave Ennoshita a look like "See the personalities I have to deal with?! Save me!" But Ennoshita didn't think Azumane had it as bad as he believed.

The foursome went to find seats together when Sawamura stopped and gaped. "Is that…" He shut his mouth. "Shimizu?"

The other three turned, and Ennoshita's eyes widened. A woman with blue-black hair and glasses walked toward them, and she was likely the most gorgeous woman Ennoshita had ever seen. Her light skin was dotted by a single beauty mark at the bottom left corner of her mouth, but her complexion was otherwise flawless. Her outfit was pressed, neat, and clean, and her dark eyes came across as very intelligent. But that wasn't the most remarkable thing about her. Actually, the most unique item was her walk. She carried herself extremely well, and if Ennoshita hadn't known that Ukai Ikkei was the old man who ran this company, Ennoshita would've believed her to be the company president in a heartbeat. And she hadn't even said anything yet.

Sawamura broke into a huge smile and stepped forward. "Shimizu! Long time, no see."

Shimizu blinked as she took in the sight of them. "Sawamura-kun, Sugawara-kun, Azumane-kun." Even her _voice_ was dainty! She bowed her head. "It's been a while."

"Shimizu, you work for the company?" Another interesting sight: Azumane, utterly flustered.

She nodded. "Operations manager."

"Wait. That…"

Sugawara shook his head and turned to Ennoshita to elaborate. "The Operations manager oversees all of our brick-and-mortar stores. It's like—like being vice-president of the company."

The woman blushed and Sawamura rolled his eyes at his lover. "Jeez, Suga, way to embarrass her… By the way, Ennoshita, this is Shimizu Kiyoko, the club manager I mentioned the other day. Shimizu, this is Ennoshita Chikara, Suga's right-hand man and fellow Karasuno alum."

Shimizu shook Ennoshita's hand, but conversation died in his ears and any words he had to donate ran away. Her name resounded in his brain: Shimizu Kiyoko, Shimizu Kiyoko, _Shimizu Kiyoko_. Kiyoko. _Kiyoko-san_.

This was the great beauty that had once won over the heart of Tanaka.

Ennoshita was rooted to the spot, lost in his thoughts. It took a friendly nudge from Azumane to bring his mind back to the luncheon.

"Ennoshita?" he prompted. "You all right? You look as though you've seen a ghost."

The businessman swallowed the icy lump in his throat and plastered on the most believable smile he could muster. "I'm fine. I'm just surprised that you all were surprised to see her despite having known each other."

They grabbed their seats and Azumane explained. "While I joined Ukai Corp. right away, the others didn't. I feel as though things should've clicked into place sooner for me, even, because I've emailed with Shimizu before for work, but it never connected that it was Shimizu Kiyoko, our manager from Karasuno. As far as I know, she's been the Operations manager for the past three years."

Ennoshita numbly nodded, but he felt as though his brain wasn't working anymore. He tried to converse, but Azumane ended up talking more with Izuki on his other side. Even Sugawara focused on Shimizu between him and Sawamura.

Ukai Ikkei did briefly grace them with his presence and congratulated the new hires. "It's nice to see I'm leaving my company in capable hands," he said to the room full of executives. He even appeared a little wistful saying that, but he said little else as everyone dug in. Not long after, Ukai left, and a while later things died down.

To put the icing on the cake, Shimizu and Sugawara switched seats, and Ennoshita felt at a disadvantage. What to say to her? No way could he mention what Tanaka had said. Or Tanaka and The Roost at all.

Shimizu didn't force him to talk at least. For a while, Ennoshita thought she'd say nothing. Then: "Ennoshita-kun, you went to Karasuno?"

When in doubt, let volleyball be the saving grace. "Ah…yes… I almost joined the volleyball club with my friends."

"But you decided it wasn't for you?" she surmised.

"Yes… It's a shame, in hindsight." He pushed the remainder of his dessert around on his plate with his fork. "I would've liked to know Sugawara-san, Azumane-san, and Sawamura-san back then I think. We might've been good friends."

"Mmm." Shimizu finished her dessert. "Tanaka-kun and Nishinoya-kun, too, I think."

"Maybe…" Ennoshita pushed the strawberry from his cake around a couple more times. Then her words sank in, and his eyes widened. He looked at her. "Did you just—Tanaka and Nishinoya—?" He kept his tone low so as not to let the other crows hear.

Shimizu's eyes glittered, and pink dusted the apples of her cheeks. "Sorry. I already knew about you."

Ennoshita knew about her, too, but he didn't want to mention how or why. "But we haven't met before."

"Yachi Hitoka-chan," she supplied, wiping her mouth with her napkin. She folded it and placed it and her utensils on the table.

"Yachi… Yacchan?"

"Hinata-kun is still fond of that nickname for her."

Ennoshita put his silverware down, too. "I've only met her a few times at the bar, but I've never seen you around. Do you go to The Roost at all?"

Shimizu shook her head. "It can be a hike, and I don't drive. Hitoka-chan has a car, though, and is always running around for work, so she sometimes drops in on Tanaka-kun and the others. As I don't have the time to see them, she keeps me apprised of everything." There was a quiet smile in her eyes…ah. Ennoshita knew instinctively that Shimizu and "Hitoka-chan" were closer than just friends or schoolmates. Shimizu glanced at him. "Were you surprised to hear me talk about Tanaka-kun and Nishinoya-kun, though?"

The businessman nodded. "Yes. I only met Azumane-san recently, and Sugawara-san found out I had gone to Karasuno a bit before that. They don't know that I know the rest of the team, and only Tanaka knows that I work with Sugawara-san and Sawamura-san. I've…not had time to mention meeting Azumane-san," he added bitterly, thinking once more about his argument with Tanaka. So much for letting work be a distraction.

But Shimizu wasn't a bad person, and she _was_ beautiful. Ennoshita couldn't blame Tanaka for being bowled over by her, but it still didn't sit well with him.

Ennoshita sighed. He wished he weren't such a hot mess right now.

"That's probably just as well, considering Nishinoya-kun…," Shimizu remarked, though Ennoshita hadn't the foggiest as to why she'd say that. "But…perhaps it's time for crows to find their way back home," the woman added with a hint of a smile.

He gave it some thought. It'd be interesting to watch, he guessed. He _had_ been curious from the first time Sugawara had mentioned the team about seeing them interact. He could easily picture Hinata and Kageyama as respectful kouhai. Tanaka and Nishinoya might still fawn over Shimizu, but…the more Ennoshita dwelled on it, the more he understood the fascination. Ennoshita also felt that Nishinoya and Azumane must've gotten along; they were both cheerleaders in their own ways, and he could picture them almost as a cheering squad. The more Ennoshita thought about it, the more he wanted to bring his three "families" together—Narita and Kinoshita, The Roost, and his Ukai Corp. senpai.

The catering staff entered the room and began to clear everything away. People dispersed, but Ennoshita wanted to talk more with Shimizu. She was quickly growing on him.

"Have you ever thought about dropping by The Roost?" he asked her, the other three senpai still out of earshot.

Shimizu shrugged. "I haven't exactly had the free time for it. What little free time I _do_ have, I try to sync it with Hitoka-chan's."

Ennoshita nodded. "Well, it'd be nice to see you around there."

"So you _are_ around there more because of Tanaka-kun?"

He felt his ears go warm. "Yachi."

"Yachi."

He nodded again. "I try to be, because it feels like a second home there."

"Is that so?" That imperceptible smile returned to her face. "Then the bar is doing its job."

"How so?"

"A roost, Ennoshita-kun. It's like a nest. It's like home."

Her words were concise yet meaningful, and Ennoshita felt obligation tugging on his arm. He gave her a thankful look, because this talk with her had cleared up a few of his doubts. "We _should_ gather up all the crows at The Roost," he stated.

"Perhaps." Shimizu took out her phone. "Let me know if you feel like holding a reunion."

"Of course." They exchanged info and then rejoined the other three.

Sugawara appeared unready to let Shimizu leave. "But it's been so long…! You rarely visit because you don't work at headquarters and you never stay in touch."

Shimizu fidgeted under his and Sawamura's gazes. "…well, maybe we can change that in the near future."

Sugawara immediately cheered up and Azumane and Sawamura beamed, but Ennoshita gave her a conspiratorial wink.

Soon, things would be fixed with Karasuno's old volleyball club… But, before that, Ennoshita would have to set things right between him and Tanaka. And he knew which would be the real challenge.

* * *

The weekend arrived and, with it, Sunday came. The first of Ennoshita's weekly two days off. He wasn't certain how he'd spend it, but he knew of one thing he had to try.

Since the bar opened in mid-evening, Ennoshita texted Tanaka and invited him out to an early lunch at the udon shop which he, Kinoshita, and Narita frequented. Ennoshita had gotten up early that morning and bought that melon bread Tanaka loved again, and now he sat at a table for two, sipping green tea and eyeing the plastic bag that sat across the tiny two-by-two feet square table.

Five, ten minutes passed. Ennoshita got his tea refilled. Fifteen minutes. Twenty. With every passed minute, Ennoshita's hopes grew smaller. Now he sounded full of himself, trying to arrange a Karasuno reunion with Shimizu when he couldn't even look Tanaka in the eye or speak to him. In fact, his appetite faded, and he took out money to pay for his tea.

A shadow fell across the table. "…is that seat open?"

Ennoshita glanced up—and his hopes surged. Tanaka stood there in a thick leather jacket, that cute puffball beanie, and those black jeans with chains. Even without interaction, Ennoshita could feel his body reacting to the sight of him. "Yes," he bumbled. He gestured for Tanaka to sit.

"Cool, cool…" Tanaka picked up the plastic bag, recognized it, hesitated, and sat down anyway. "Gotta say, I wasn't expecting to hear from you at all."

The businessman frowned as the waitress came over and took Tanaka's drink order—green tea for him, as well. "I figured… But know one thing: I would never say nothing to you. I actually prefer to have the last word, if you haven't noticed."

Tanaka quirked an eyebrow. "Try that again, without the double-negative."

Ennoshita sighed. "What I mean is that I want to talk with you always. Fighting or not. That's the only way to communicate clearly. I thought I had learned my lesson when I finally told you I wanted to slow things down some."

The bartender nodded. The tea arrived and they each ordered something to eat. "Before you continue, can I ask you one thing?"

"Shoot."

"Did you give any consideration to the last thing that I asked you? Because that's _really_ important, Ennoshita." Tanaka stared at him earnestly without a hint of yakuza in that gaze.

Ennoshita bit his lower lip. "…yes."

"And?"

"I…am still unsure about my sexuality," he said quietly. "I tend to think men are more appealing, but I can appreciate a woman's beauty, too. Yet I know for _certain_ that I am attracted to you. I desire _you_. I react to _you_."

Tanaka looked away, healthy color flooding his tanned face. "Then why couldn't you have just said that before, dummy?"

"Because this is all new to me. And I think it was a few too many things rushing me all at once. Honestly… I think I was angry at myself for feeling as though I didn't know myself, for being unable to clearly define myself like you can. And…"

Tanaka cupped his cheek in his palm, but his eyes were back on Ennoshita's. "Yeah?"

"I think I was jealous of how you spoke, as though you've been in love before."

Silence settled between them. Their food came, but it grew to room temperature while their conversation stalled. "Twice," the bartender said at last. He picked up his chopsticks and broke them apart.

"Sorry?"

"Twice," Tanaka repeated. "I've been in love twice before. Guys both times. The first was a straight guy, which was why my hackles went up when you didn't tell me what you were last time."

Ennoshita fretted. "I'm so sorry—"

"Don't be." Tanaka slurped some of his noodles. "Actually, I'm kinda relieved to hear you're Tanaka-sexual."

Just like that, the tension dissipated. Ennoshita turned cherry blossom pink. "You are so…"

"Handsome? Cool? Awesome? All of the above?" He laughed. But then his cocky grin wavered. "I still need to learn self-restraint when I'm alone with you, though."

The businessman shrugged. "Do I really drive you that crazy?" he asked, unconvinced.

"Like you wouldn't believe." And Ennoshita could read the sincerity in those tawny eyes.

"I met Shimizu-san, you know. She works for my company, it turns out." His shoulders sagged. "I now know how beautiful she is."

"I figured it was bad mentioning her—though I'm not surprised about her work."

"Yachi," they said in unison, and they chuckled.

Tanaka gave Ennoshita an apologetic look. "She _is_ beautiful, but she's not the one filling up my thoughts, Ennoshita."

Damn Tanaka and his smooth lines. They ate quietly for a few minutes. "…don't forget," the brunet began.

"Hmm?"

Ennoshita gave him a look. "You also called Nishinoya hot and Hinata adorable."

Tanaka winced. "Urk." He groaned. "Ennoshita, you hafta understand that my mouth runs at times…"

"No, I know. I just thought I'd milk your apology for what it was worth."

The bartender blew a raspberry at him. "Yeah, yeah, so I'm a sucky boyfriend, get over it. You still like me."

Ennoshita mused about that. Frankly, "like" didn't even begin to cover it. But that certain other four-letter word was for another time, definitely.

They ate, paid, and left the shop together. "Man, I really wish I didn't have work today." Tanaka growled, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Ennoshita smiled. "Just think of me when you eat the melon bread on your break tonight," he suggested, pecking the other man on the lips. "And maybe we can watch a movie after your shift's over."

"But I don't get off until after two in the morning."

"I'll wait up."

Tanaka's eyes shone, and he was like a puppy with a new bone. He drew Ennoshita into a large, warm hug. "You can hang out upstairs, if you want."

Ennoshita chuckled into his shoulder. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Despite how suggestive a sleepover sounded, Ennoshita and Tanaka figured out the right amount of intimacy for them at this stage in their relationship. Ennoshita spent the rest of Sunday chilling in Tanaka's apartment and, when Tanaka got off work, they settled on the floor in front of the couch and watched a late-night horror movie. Tanaka, who could stomach the goriest of action movies, turned out to be a real chicken if it was a gory horror movie, and he spent half the night with his arms wrapped around Ennoshita, his head half hidden behind Ennoshita's. Ennoshita, for his part, was a good protective boyfriend, and he patted Tanaka on the head whenever a scene got too intense for him.

Waking up that late Monday morning, though, was Ennoshita's best morning ever. Sure, falling asleep on the floor wasn't the most comfortable position, but waking up with Tanaka's warm arms around him was. The businessman knew then that he didn't want those arms to leave him ever again.

It was a shame to return home that evening, but Ennoshita _did_ have to work the next morning. "I think we can make good use of your Mondays off," Tanaka mumbled into Ennoshita's hair after dinner as the latter tried getting his jacket on with the former's arms still wrapped around him.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow after work," the brunet said.

"Mm-hmm," Tanaka mumbled against Ennoshita's lips.

As they kissed, Ennoshita felt the return of those stupid, hormonal butterflies in his stomach. Tanaka-sexual, indeed.

The following night was the usual: Ennoshita at the bar counter, Tanaka bartending, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi keeping to themselves in their corner of the restaurant, Hinata and Kageyama being loud while they ate. But probably the best thing was seeing Nishinoya, oddly enough.

"Chikara!" the shorty blubbered, and he hugged the stunned businessman.

Tanaka fixed his best friend with a yakuza glare. "Hey! Watch the friendliness there, Noya."

"It's okay. Chikara doesn't mind," Nishinoya said. He grinned at Ennoshita. "Glad to see you back! And so glad you pulled Ryuu out of his funk."

"I wasn't in a funk," the bartender growled.

Nishinoya hid his mouth behind his hand. "I figured you two had a fight. Everything's okay now, right? Ryuu's not rushing you?"

A part of Ennoshita wanted to die inside at Nishinoya having figured things out so easily. "No, he's fine."

"Good. Because he gets excited like a puppy yet to be housebroken when he's serious about someone or something."

"Oh my god, _Noya_ , I can _hear_ you," Tanaka snarled.

Nishinoya guffawed. "What are friends for?"

Ennoshita laughed, too, and he realized Shimizu was right. The Roost _was_ like home. It _was_ home to him—and to the others, as well. So…maybe a reunion should happen.

But another thing she'd said came back to him. She'd implied that Azumane and Nishinoya shouldn't meet.

The idea still struck Ennoshita as odd, especially since he believed they'd get on well together. But Shimizu must have her reasons. So Ennoshita took them into account. "Ah, by the way, Nishinoya…"

"Oh, just call me 'Noya.' 'Nishinoya' is such a mouthful anyway."

"Noya. When don't you work here?"

The shorter man sat on the barstool beside him. "Well, being part-time is kinda weird… I come in and experiment in the kitchen when I feel like it. But I guess…Thursdays?"

"Yeah, Thursdays aren't really Noya days," Tanaka confirmed. He gave Ennoshita an inquisitive look but didn't press him about the topic.

The night rolled on, and Ennoshita went home on the last train. He texted Shimizu about a little reunion on Thursday, emphasizing that Nishinoya would not be around. He messaged Azumane about finally eating together and suggested The Roost as the destination.

By the time Ennoshita was asleep, he'd almost orchestrated the whole thing. He'd invite Sugawara and Sawamura in a similar manner tomorrow at work, and everything would work out. Maybe someone would even tell him why Azumane and Nishinoya weren't supposed to meet. Or maybe, better yet, those two would meet and everything would be fine and Ennoshita would feel like the good friend both Nishinoya and Azumane had been to him.

* * *

Tanaka liked the idea of seeing Sugawara and Sawamura so much that Ennoshita kept quiet about the other two. He felt as though they'd be an extra surprise, and he didn't want to ruin it.

"Are you sure about us coming?" Kinoshita asked when he, Narita, and Ennoshita met outside of the bar on Thursday night.

Ennoshita nodded. "Of course. We're all from Karasuno."

Narita was wary. "I dunno… I think we'll be a little out of place tonight…"

"Nonsense. Tanaka's been cooking a lot of junk food to feed us all, so let's enjoy that." When Narita kept giving him that unsure expression, Ennoshita sighed. "Drinks are on me."

"It'll be my pleasure to come tonight," the taller man said while Kinoshita cheered.

As usually occurred when there were things to celebrate, music played in the normally silent bar. The usual cast of characters was there, minus Nishinoya. Tanaka waved from behind the bar and started pouring them drinks before they even ordered.

"Ennoshita-san, do you know what's happening tonight?" Hinata asked. "We came in and Tanaka-san had already turned on the music!"

Ennoshita and Tanaka exchanged a grin. "Eh, not really… Maybe tonight will just be a good night."

Tanaka snickered at him, but the brunet didn't begrudge him it. He knew he wasn't a good liar.

Luckily, he didn't have to say anything else. A cheery voice called down from the top of the stairs. "Hey, everyone!" Yachi chirped. At the bottom of the stairs at the mouth of the restaurant she appeared—with Shimizu in tow.

Tanaka dropped his metal tumbler on the counter. "Kiyoko-san?!"

"Shimizu-san!" Hinata yelped excitedly. He hopped up from his and Kageyama's booth and rushed to greet her. Kageyama got up, too, and the new arrival even pulled Yamaguchi away from Tsukishima, though Tsukishima remained put. He did wave, though.

"Looks like you did something nice," Kinoshita commented at the bar counter from between Ennoshita and Narita. "Ahh, Tanaka does mix a good drink…!"

"Yes, well," the businessman said, "they didn't know about her coming." Ennoshita watched the happy scene unfold.

Things almost quieted down when Yachi pushed a table against Hinata and Kageyama's and the two women joined them for dinner. Fifteen minutes late, however, Ennoshita had to do a double-take at the entrance. He had never pictured Sugawara or Sawamura in casual clothes.

"SUGA-SAN!" Hinata and Kageyama yelled. They rushed him as much as Hinata had Shimizu. Only this time the meeting was more interesting, because Sugawara patted his two kouhai on the head like…well, like a mother.

"Ah, so good to see you…!" the sandy-haired man sighed. He waved to Yachi and to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima before joining Ennoshita and his friends at the counter. He shook Tanaka's hand. "Tanaka. Heard your sister got married."

"To Akiteru-san," the bartender clarified.

Sugawara and Sawamura grinned knowingly. "Interesting how some things never change," Sawamura said. "Like with Suga here. We would've been here ten minutes ago if Suga hadn't insisted the bar was in the other direction."

Sugawara turned beet red. " _Daichi_ …!" But he let it go and turned to Ennoshita. "I had a feeling what was coming when I saw the bar's sign, Ennoshita. But I _am_ still pretty stunned…" He beamed, looking between the businessman and the bartender. "You've done well, Tanaka," he added with a bump to Ennoshita's shoulder. Ennoshita felt pleased with the compliment.

"I agree," Tanaka said, and he slid another Oddball Quick over to his lover.

Sawamura took in the place. "I can't believe we never knew about this place, though. The world really _is_ small, I guess." He whistled appreciatively.

"Well, stop standing and go sit down," Tanaka insisted. "I'll bring some food out in just a sec. Ennoshita, could I have a hand?"

The businessman got up. "Of course."

Sawamura and Sugawara went to add another table to Hinata and Kageyama's, and Narita and Kinoshita introduced themselves and joined the others on the dining floor.

In the back, it smelled wonderful—there was something fried, something salty, something teriyaki. "You cooked all this by yourself?" Ennoshita inquired. He almost wanted to hole up back here and have an impromptu dinner date.

"Ah, yeah… I've picked up a few things from Noya-san, but living alone and on a budget really does make a guy learn his way around the kitchen."

"You'll make an excellent wife someday," Ennoshita said with a laugh.

Even in the dim light, Tanaka was clearly red. "Ora… Don't tease a dangerous guy like me."

The brunet snorted. "You'll be dangerous the day I screw up a project at work. I.e., never."

The bartender gave him a dry look and took two pans off the low heat burners, plating food. "It's just a shame this is all going on without Noya-san around."

Ennoshita swallowed the small lump in his throat. "Uh…yeah. Definitely."

Tanaka eyed him. "I _did_ notice you asked him when he wouldn't be here, Ennoshita."

"Um…"

The thuggish man frowned. "I thought you and Noya-san finally liked each other. I was breathing more easily. I mean, my lover and my best friend getting along? He even started using your first name—not that _that_ sits right with me, but that's just Noya being Noya," he moped.

Ennoshita's shoulders sagged and he took a step towards Tanaka. "No, I like Noya, I do. I… Well, Shimizu-san had already figured out about my ties to The Roost through Yachi."

"What does that have anything to do with Noya-san?"

The businessman just opened his mouth to explain when _that_ person arrived. Hinata and Kageyama were loud enough to be heard through the wall: "ASAHI-SAN!"

Tanaka's narrow eyes widened. "A… _Asahi-san_?" he croaked.

Ennoshita nodded, now very unsure about inviting Azumane. "I…er, made friends with him through work. I invited him because I wanted all of my worlds to collide—work, here, Narita and Kinoshita. But when I met Shimizu-san, she vaguely implied that Azumane-san and Noya don't get along."

"And she didn't say why?"

"No… I'm sorry, I've really overstepped my boundary, haven't I?"

Tanaka tugged at his uniform's bowtie and forced a laugh. "N-Not at all, Ennoshita. You did your best with what you knew, and I can't say I'd do anything different if I were in your shoes."

As he deflated, Ennoshita eased up a little. They began carrying things out. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. As long as Noya doesn't show up, we're golden. Besides, Asahi-san's our friend, too, and I know I, for one, have missed him."

And the feeling seemed to be mutual, because, though at first stiff with shock at having seen so many familiar faces, Azumane eased into the reunion. He even smiled gratefully at Ennoshita as the night wore on.

Things almost went off without a hitch until they heard a very familiar voice enter The Roost. "Yo, Ryuu! I got a new dessert idea—" The restaurant turned to dead silence when Nishinoya and Azumane saw each other, though, and the former's face crumpled with obvious but tamed anger. "Asahi-san?"

Uh-oh. Well…at least Ennoshita had sorted out his and Tanaka's relationship, the businessman thought as he exchanged a wary look with the bartender before the fireworks erupted.

And erupt they did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. This fic is the longest in the collection so far and took forever to type up… o_o Three amusing notes: In writing these fics, I've already killed 3 pens and am on a 4th, I tend to slip-up and write/type "Tsukiyama" when I mean "Tsukishima" goddammit, and sometimes I forget the "a" at the end of "Ennoshita" and "Kinoshita" and so my document sometimes becomes riddled with "Ennoshit" and "Kinoshit." XD But yeah. So much happened…the wedding, Ryuuchika trying to be adult *lol*, the arrival of Shimizu-senpai, and then, of course, the Asanoya cliffhanger. Fret not, though! They have their own spin-off oneshot, "Glass Shards," which has been posted simultaneously with this EnnoTana oneshot, so go give it a read if you want to know what happens! Also, for fans of other series, I name-dropped several other charries on purpose (Izuki from KnB, Yamazaki from Free!, Seo from GSNK), and they belong to their respective authors; kudos to you if you recognized them all, *lol*. I know Hinata's mentioned a coworker named Kuroko before…and there's a reason for that. B3 Song for "Promotion": "[Call Me Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxq_QCqPXX8)" by Clazziquai. -w-
> 
> Thanks for reading and please review! "Closing" is the 5th fic and will be coming soon to a Birds of a Feather AU on AO3 near you.
> 
> -mew! c:


	5. Closing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new year for most signals a fresh start. For Ennoshita, a new year means change. Unfortunately, change is coming—to The Roost and to its occupants. .::established!EnnoTana::.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic: "Closing"
> 
> Characters: Ennoshita/Tanaka, Kinoshita/Narita, etc.
> 
> Rating: M (well, that escalated quickly XD)
> 
> Words: 16,330

The music in the bookstore was distracting. As if this wasn't enough of a break in habit already!

Ennoshita Chikara, capable supervisor in Marketing for Ukai Corporation, closed his eyes and counted to three before he opened his eyes and reread the notes on the diagram on the page open in the reference book. But the words swam on the page before him. Half of them were in Latin, but he knew that was his fault. His choice of book—an anatomy reference for pre-med students—was not quite appropriate. Frankly, it wasn't what he needed. He knew about all the parts…he just needed to learn about the mechanics.

…mechanics. Ha! Ennoshita tried not to blush as he closed the thousand-page tome and returned it to its place on the shelf. "Mechanics" was just a euphemism for…for… Oh, for crying out loud! He was a grown man! But apparently being a virgin still made it hard for him even to think of the word "sex."

Case in point: thinking about the word just now made him look sunburnt. And he was _indoors_.

Ennoshita sighed and skimmed the other titles, knowing he was not going to find what he wanted in the reference section of the store. Frankly, he didn't think he'd find what he needed anywhere in the store. And though he'd taken a longer train ride so as not to be in a bookstore at which his friends might find him, Ennoshita could still feel eyes on him. Likely the older ladies up the aisle thought he was some pre-med student or resident and might be a nice catch for their daughters.

But while he perhaps looked the part in a sensible jacket, nice suit, and clean shoes, Ennoshita just gripped the handle of his briefcase and smiled politely at the gawkers before exiting. He'd never had any interest in being a doctor and…these days…he wasn't even on the market anymore.

He went to the station and only had to wait a few minutes before the train showed. Once settled, he let an easy smile grace his features as he daydreamed on the ride back.

Him, not on the market. Well, maybe not "not on the market," but still unavailable. The thought still made him a little giddy, and maybe made him feel ten years younger, too. But here he was, halfway through January and almost three months into his first ever serious relationship.

Hmm. "First ever"? What odd phrasing. It wasn't as though he planned on being in a relationship with anyone else.

No…this feeling he got when he thought of a certain bartender—he didn't want to let it go. And it wasn't just the giddiness. He felt comfortable and safe around the bartender. He could be challenged by him. He didn't just feel alive around him; Ennoshita wanted to keep up with him.

Ennoshita popped open his bag and took a novel out to read for a bit. Eventually his stop arrived, and he gathered his things and disembarked. The bar wasn't far from there—about two, three blocks away—but it was always a welcome sight to spot the neon red sign that read "The Roost."

Downstairs, the atmosphere had changed. It was friendlier, and not just because Ennoshita had befriended the majority of the regulars, who had turned out to be graduates of Karasuno High like him.

"Cake is not a meal!" Kageyama barked as Ennoshita took a seat at the bar counter.

"Should I even ask?" Ennoshita prompted, facing his bartender.

"Nope," Tanaka replied. "But you can blame Noya-san for it."

"Bakageyama!" Hinata yelled at Kageyama.

Ennoshita winced as Kageyama's hackles went up visibly. "Um, Tanaka…"

Hinata patted his fluffy hair down and made a face. "'Cake is not a meal!'" he grumped in a spectacular imitation of Kageyama.

Ennoshita felt bad for snickering, but then he saw Tanaka trying to hold in his own laugh. Unlikely this was a rare occurrence, the businessman guessed.

At that point, Nishinoya popped his head out of the backroom. "Kageyama, just let Shouyou have a little!"

"No!" the grouchy man said. "His cold lasted past New Year's and he's still weak. He needs to eat the right things!"

"I'll share," Hinata offered, pulling big eyes on his boyfriend.

"…fine."

Tanaka and Ennoshita laughed out loud.

Nishinoya gave the noisy duo a large slice of blue-colored cake and two forks, and then he pranced over to Ennoshita. "Chikara! Do you want some cake?"

"Ah, no thanks, Noya. It was delicious, though. Thank you for making that for my birthday last month."

"Of course!" He grinned from ear to ear. "That's 'cause we're friends. I still haven't come up with a thank-you gift yet."

"Uh, no…that's okay…" Ennoshita glanced at Tanaka, who wordlessly poured him his drink. "…so…you and Azumane-san…?"

Tanaka leaned a little closer, the businessman noticed. He briefly locked eyes with Ennoshita as if to say "I'll explain the moment he's gone."

Nishinoya hummed to himself. "Asahi-san and I…"

The other two leaned towards him even more.

"…went for coffee the other day. It was great!"

Tanaka made a face. "Get back to work," he groused at his best friend, and Nishinoya returned to the kitchen.

Ennoshita sipped his drink. "Well, I'm glad they're getting along again."

"Yeah, but Noya-san won't tell me anything. I mean, he gets back with his ex and weeks go by and he doesn't tell me a single detail?"

The brunet shrugged. "My best friends didn't tell me right away when they got together. I think that's normal."

Tanaka gave him a skeptical look. "Don't tell me you're not the least bit curious."

Again, Ennoshita shrugged. He didn't really believe it was his business. Ennoshita had befriended Azumane through work. He'd befriended Nishinoya, too, at the bar after a misunderstanding. And, one thing leading to another, he'd arranged for them to talk after they'd met accidentally after almost a decade of not speaking. At first, Ennoshita hadn't known about their prior relationship, but Nishinoya had told him and, when being honest about the past hadn't done anything to lift Nishinoya's spirits, Ennoshita had gotten Karasuno High's old libero and ace to have a face-to-face. The results had produced more than closure: Nishinoya and Azumane were dating again.

"Asahi-san hasn't shared anything with you either?" the bartender pushed.

Ennoshita rolled his eyes and showed his lover his empty inbox on his phone. "Nothing. Azumane-san takes some steering in the right direction if you want to talk about any particular subject."

Tanaka rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "Yeah… I don't think he'd be Asahi-san if he didn't need a little help with everything." He sighed again. "Frankly, that's a part of him that I don't think will ever change."

The businessman crossed his arms on the counter and leaned on them. He smiled. "When you talk like that, it makes me wish I'd had the chance to know you all back in high school."

"Agreed." Tanaka paused. "…on the other hand, I bet you were one of those students in the college prep classes."

"Actually, yes."

Tanaka laughed. "You probably would've killed me, then. I had a good work ethic for everything but school."

That didn't really surprise Ennoshita.

"But, speaking of hanging out with Karasuno's esteemed volleyball club…"

"You're esteemed?" Ennoshita queried with a quirked eyebrow.

"Shut up. Anyway, once it gets a bit warmer, we should gather everyone and have a game. I bet we could even get the old Neighborhood Association to add to our numbers."

"Sounds like fun. I'll mention it to Kinoshita and Narita the next time I hear from them. They'd like to hang out with you more, you know."

Tanaka made a strangled noise as he made up drinks for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, who'd just walked in. "They do?"

"Yeah, is that so strange?"

"Nah. I like your friends—they eat here occasionally, even if you're not here. But hanging out with them…it's like meeting your parents. I'm not quite sure I've won their approval yet."

Ennoshita chuckled. "Trust me, they approve, Tanaka. And I'm sure my actual parents will, too."

The bartender's cheeks pinked. He ducked his head and put the finishing touches on the drinks before pouring two glasses of ice water, too. "I think my parents would've liked you, too."

It didn't escape Ennoshita what tense Tanaka used, but he knew it wasn't appropriate to ask at that moment.

Tanaka took Tsukishima and Yamaguchi their drinks and returned, cleaning up his area. "Hey, stop frowning like that," he said with his back to Ennoshita. "Dad was after I graduated from Karasuno and Mom was two years ago. But Sis and I have each other, and now she's got Akiteru-san and a baby on the way, and that baby has Tsukishima and his and Akiteru-san's parents, too, so by extension I've got the Tsukishima family." He peeked over his shoulder at Ennoshita.

The businessman wanted to say "You've got me, too," but he felt it'd cheapen the moment. He gave Tanaka a reliable look instead.

That did the trick. Tanaka grinned and thanked him. But Ennoshita noted that Tanaka's vice cracked when he did so.

* * *

Later in the week found Ennoshita spacing out at his desk. His boss, Sugawara, at least didn't barge in and pester him needlessly.

Instead, the older man knocked on the door connecting their offices. "Ennoshita?"

The brunet snapped out of it. "Hmm? Yes?"

"Is everything all right?"

Ennoshita rubbed his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, um… It's nothing. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Everything all right with Tanaka?"

It'd been a while, but it still felt odd to hear Sugawara—or Sawamura, whenever he dropped by from Production—mention Tanaka or the others. They'd been on the volleyball team together but had fallen out of touch after Karasuno until Ennoshita had come along and been the common factor to reconnect old friends.

"Ennoshita?" Sugawara prompted, entering his subordinate's office.

"Sorry… Yeah, Tanaka and I are good. But— Did you know his father died after Tanaka graduated from high school?"

The answer was apparent in Sugawara's pale brown eyes. "No…" He reddened. "I already felt bad about abandoning the others when Daichi and I went to university, but…damn."

"Please don't let what I said get you down," Ennoshita insisted. "I only just found out myself."

"His mother?"

"…two years ago."

Sugawara sat in the chair in front of Ennoshita's desk. "Wow. I'm glad Saeko-san's still around."

"Yeah."

"So you've been dwelling on it? You shouldn't, you know." The sandy-haired man gave him a stern look. "You didn't know Tanaka at either of those points in his life, and dwelling on it will come across as pity. He doesn't often get legitimately angry, but pitying him would definitely aggravate him."

"It hadn't even occurred to me to pity him."

Sugawara eased up. "Oh. Good, then."

"But it got me thinking about family."

"Oh?"

Ennoshita glanced at his monitor and pushed it out of the way so he could see Sugawara. "Just… I'm not sure. I guess it makes me think about how often I stay in touch with my parents."

"You don't see them?"

The brunet gave him a dry look. "Sugawara-san, think about the heinous hours I was working up until last August."

Sugawara tried to whistle it away.

"I haven't seen my parents in almost two years. I talk with them on the phone every couple of weeks or so, but…" He sighed. "It's slipped my mind the last few months."

"Ah, since you fell in love."

"Yes…" Ennoshita's shoulders sagged, and he leaned back in his chair. "It's frustrating," he stated, staring up at the ceiling.

Sugawara stood. "Don't let it be. Call them now, even. I won't let anyone interrupt."

"Sugawara-san—they don't know about Tanaka."

"So tell them."

Ennoshita frowned.

"Oh. Ohhh. Okay, that's a little different." He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe that's something you should tell them face to face."

"Do your parents know, and Sawamura-san's?"

"They do, but we didn't even really tell them. Daichi and I were close from the first moment we became friends and so the transition to lovers wasn't apparent, but all our friends and family were used to it. By the time we figured it out for ourselves and told our parents, they weren't surprised. In fact," he added, crossing his arms in front of his chest out of annoyance at the memory, "my mother went back to cooking and my father went back to watching the news, and Daichi's parents continued playing cards with each other. There literally was no reaction. Everyone knew before us!"

Ennoshita tried not to smile. Even at work, everyone was used to Sugawara and Sawamura, even though they never announced themselves.

Sugawara eyed him. "So is that all that's on your mind?"

Ennoshita could feel his cheeks grow warm. While he'd asked for advice before on confessing to and falling for a man, the businessman felt it would be too much to ask about the other topic. "Yes," he lied.

Sugawara stared at him, but he didn't press him. Instead he shrugged. "All right. Then get back to work, Ennoshita. And let me know if you need an extra day off or something to see your parents. Give me a head's up if you need to borrow my car again," he finished with an impish grin, knowing his car had been the place where Azumane and Nishinoya finally had made amends.

"Sure, sure…" Ennoshita waved him off then, and his office was quiet once more.

* * *

Talking with Sugawara had been nice, but it hadn't helped Ennoshita make any decisions. Telling his parents was a big decision, and Ennoshita wasn't ready to face that just yet.

In the meantime, he focused on his current dilemma and turned back to the topic of sex. He'd tried not to think about it since his trip to the bookstore last week because he was always either at work or with Tanaka.

But now it was Sunday, one of Ennoshita's two days off. The bar would open at six in the evening, so he'd be able to see Tanaka outside of the bar. However, Tanaka wasn't much of a morning person, so calling him or turning up at his apartment at nine in the morning wouldn't do Ennoshita any favors.

The businessman stood in his living room, almost wishing he'd bought that anatomy book. Maybe with a little imagination, he'd be able to figure it out and mentally prepare himself. He had a pretty decent imagination; he'd even written a little when he was younger. But he'd written movie scripts, not… _smut_.

He thought about doing a search on his computer—and rethought that. He used his laptop for work, so, even though it was his personal computer and he'd had Narita set up anti-virus and anti-malware software on it, he didn't think it wise to go that route.

Ennoshita sat on his couch and pulled out his phone. It was an older phone with an older browser, so, if he turned off certain options (like disabling images and JavaScript), he stood a chance of getting the search results he wanted. He did just that and fumbled for a moment before typing "how do two men have sex?" into the search engine.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of links popped up. He read the description of each and clicked on none. A few sites he almost visited, but he hesitated. After two dozen or so sketchy-looking sites, Ennoshita felt ready to return to the bookstore.

Yet one site looked promising. It was a blog aimed at helping those who had just discovered their sexuality and touted useful tags and extra reference links.

Throwing caution to the wind, Ennoshita clicked on it, but the screen was sparse and the text was limited. At the top of the page was one of those "We suggest you turn JavaScript on for the best experience" messages, which made the man purse his lips. He figured maybe most of the information had been uploaded as textboxes, so he reluctantly turned only images back on in his browser's options.

"AH! _What the hell_?!" he yelped, dropping his phone like a hot potato. Luckily it landed face down.

Ennoshita blushed furiously. He needed a totally vanilla explanation of things—not GIF images in high definition!

He shook his head and picked up his phone, clearing and closing his browser. After that experience, he really didn't feel like doing any more research for the day.

He grabbed the novel he'd been reading from his work bag to scrub his mind of what he'd seen. A couple of hours passed leisurely until his stomach grumbled. Ennoshita glanced at his watch, decided he'd calmed down, and opted for lunch elsewhere.

Not far from The Roost was a bakery which sold the "best melon bread in town," according to Tanaka. Ennoshita didn't have Tanaka's sweet tooth, but he'd been meaning to try some of their plain shortbread tea cookies, so he stopped there on the way to Tanaka's. Purchases in hand, he walked to the bar after, heading upstairs inside instead of downstairs to the restaurant.

Tanaka answered, not at all surprised by the surprise visit. "Ennoshita! Good timing."

Ennoshita entered and unzipped his puffy jacket. "Why? Did you just get up?"

"Yup."

Ennoshita laughed.

Tanaka put some tea on and plated the treats while Ennoshita settled himself on the bean bag in the living room. The last two times he'd been over, he'd sat in it, and he'd decided it was his spot at Tanaka's place.

"I figured you wouldn't have had breakfast," the brunet said as the shaven-haired man passed him the cookies.

"You figured right," Tanaka confirmed. "I used to be better about it when I was in high school, but that's because I had practice and therefore needed the energy." He paused for thought. "Not that I don't need the energy now, especially since Noya-san is working fulltime at The Roost, but times have changed."

Ennoshita pouted. "What, you don't need energy to keep up with me?"

Tanaka laughed and dragged the bean bag chair closer to the couch, leaning over and kissing Ennoshita on the forehead before settling on the couch. "Oh, I do, but you're a different kind of challenge."

"I don't know if I should feel flattered or insulted…"

"Flattered," Tanaka replied in all seriousness.

The businessman leaned back on the sack and nibbled on the cookies, which turned out to be delicious. His eyes vaguely followed the channels as Tanaka kept clicking with the remote. "Bored today?"

"No. Maybe. A little." Tanaka sighed and turned the TV off. "I wanna go somewhere. I think January's getting to me."

"Don't blink now, but it'll be February by the end of next week."

The bartender pressed his lips together in a straight, thin line and squinted at the TV, despite the screen being empty. "…yeah."

Huh. Tanaka didn't seem very talkative for once. But why? Ennoshita knew he hadn't come too early. And he'd brought Tanaka's favorite food… Had he done something? Ennoshita couldn't think of anything… Oh, no. Maybe Tanaka had been expecting Ennoshita to ask about his parents, and Ennoshita hadn't done that. He didn't even know the anniversaries. Stupid, stupid! Where had his manners gone?!

Ennoshita was about to segue to that topic when Tanaka stood and stretched. "Hey, how about we go out? I know I'm normally too tired to do much, but I think I'm up for it."

The brunet furrowed his brow, his train of thought vanishing. "Where did you have in mind?"

"Dunno. Anything, I guess. Oh! That new movie you were talking about last week is out. It came out yesterday. Do you want to see that?"

"I'd love to," Ennoshita answered, also getting up and following his lover into the kitchen. "I'll check for the earliest showtime."

"Don't worry about early. Oh, you know what we should do? We should take the train in and walk around the city proper." The shaven-haired man hummed to himself as he looked in the fridge. "A walk around the city until it's dark and everything lights up and then a movie—"

Something wasn't right. Tanaka was humming, but he had his face hidden by the fridge door. "Tanaka," Ennoshita interrupted.

"—and then dinner out, because I like cooking for you, but," he paused with a chuckle, "I haven't done any shopping, so there's nothing to cook."

"Tanaka, what about the bar? If we do all of that, then you can't open at six."

The hand on the fridge door gripped the door tightly enough that the knuckles blanched. Then Tanaka straightened up and closed the door. He closed his eyes and ran a hand along the back of his head. "About that… I'm not opening the bar at six."

How he phrased that… "Is Nishinoya opening by himself?"

Tanaka shook his head.

If not Tanaka or Nishinoya, then who? "Saeko-san?" Ennoshita asked, because she was the only other option, being the bar's owner.

"Ennoshita…the bar's no longer open on Sundays."

The businessman blinked in disbelief. "What?"

Tanaka reached forward and closed Ennoshita's gaping mouth with a frown. "Sis and I had a talk the other day. The Roost isn't doing too hot, and not being open on Sundays might help."

Ennoshita's heart sank. The Roost meant a lot to him. He'd met Tanaka there, right in front of the bar. He'd grown close to the others. But it also meant a lot to Tanaka. It was his sister's business, and he'd worked there practically right out of school. It was a comfortable, familiar place where he watched familiar faces come and go—and more were coming these days.

"Don't look like that," Tanaka insisted, drawing Ennoshita to him and nestling the shorter's head by his ear. "I had a feeling things couldn't stay the way they were."

"Are you okay with this?" He could feel Tanaka's jaw clench.

"I will be."

"What about Noya? He gave up one of his other part-time jobs to work in the kitchen fulltime—"

"Trust me, we took that into consideration, which is why not being open on both Sundays and Mondays was the best way to go." He leaned back, bringing them face to face, and edged his nose near Ennoshita's. "So don't frown," he breathed. "Now we have the same days off~"

Ennoshita closed his eyes, trying to sort his thoughts and having his mind grow foggy instead. "…you did mention a day and night on the town…," he caved.

Tanaka's smile returned as he kissed Ennoshita, and the latter tried to make do with the realization that this was all he could do for Tanaka in this situation. For now.

* * *

"That's so sweet," Kinoshita crooned a few nights later when he, Narita, and Ennoshita had their usual get-together at the udon shop near the couple's apartment.

Narita shrugged and then nodded. "…yeah, okay, that's pretty awesome of him."

"Don't mind him," Kinoshita said to Ennoshita. "He's just envious that we haven't had the time for a nice romantic day out like that in a while. We're just both busy. Him and a release coming up. Me and the post-Christmas season, which means a _lot_ of headaches and a _lot_ of returns at the department store. Go on! Are you going to do something special again next weekend?" Kinoshita's eyes glittered as if he thrived on gossip.

Ennoshita rolled his eyes. "I love how that's all you take away from the story." He took a sip of his beer. "Guys, what if this is the bar's warning sign? What if things don't stop there?"

Narita gave him a sympathetic look. "I think you're overthinking things, Ennoshita. Tanaka's sister has had the bar for a while, and she and Tanaka do well running the place. They seem to know what they're doing."

"But—"

"Don't doubt him. Just be there for him, whether things get better or worse." Narita raised his eyebrows, waiting for a response.

"…fine."

"So? Plans?" Kinoshita insisted, bringing up the former topic.

Ennoshita gave up. "Not really. Though sometime in the future he said we should get everyone together to play a game." He laughed a little. "Don't know how in-shape I am for that, but it sounds like fun."

Kinoshita made a face. "Ennoshita…! Come on! Those aren't much by way of plans. I meant for you two, alone."

"Hisashi, that's their business," Narita scolded.

Either way, Ennoshita was sinking slowly into his seat at the shop.

The trio ate some more and continued drinking, but Narita's eyes remained on Ennoshita. "You know, Ennoshita…"

The other two looked at him.

"I feel as though there's something else on your mind. Maybe something else Tanaka-related?" Narita raised his eyebrows again. Sometimes, with how relaxed Narita could be, Ennoshita forgot how perceptive the other man was.

Plus, this kind of thing had happened before. Ennoshita rubbed the back of his neck while he thought of how to ask them… Before, it had been hard enough asking how they'd confessed to each other (which, now that he thought about it, they'd never actually told him how). But now…? The businessman knocked back the rest of his drink, happy he had a beer to cool the heat of his face in lieu of tea tonight.

Kinoshita hummed. "I say we guess this time," he told his lover.

"Hisashi," Narita warned.

But the blond nailed it: "You need to know about _that_ kind of stuff, don't you?"

Frankly, Ennoshita was prepared to be the butt of a joke again—they _had_ bet on how he'd confess to Tanaka ages ago. So it was nice and unexpected to be met with that response. Though his skin still felt embarrassingly warm. "Y-Yes…"

Kinoshita nodded solemnly while Narita, the brunet noted, had to take a drink himself. "Well, we figured this would come up once it looked as though you were serious about Tanaka. Have you tried, um, doing any research?"

"Not successfully."

"Yeah, not surprising. The internet's full of crap these days."

"So…?"

Kinoshita held up a hand to halt him. He left some money on the table to cover their bill now that they had finished. "I think it best we have dessert at our place and talk things over there."

Ennoshita didn't object, and the three men left the shop. The udon shop was a bit away but within walking distance of Kinoshita and Narita's home. It felt odd, though, to walk in silence. "So?" Ennoshita tried again.

Narita cleared his throat. "So…maybe it would've been easier for you, if you'd been younger."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you're young and in high school—college, even—there's a lot to say for, ah, experimentation."

When Ennoshita didn't react, Kinoshita punctuated the silence with a laugh. "You should've seen us back then, Ennoshita, honest! There was even that one time we couldn't hang out over the weekend—"

"That's right… Hey, that was the midnight release of that movie!" The businessman pouted. "I wanted to see it with you guys."

"Ennoshita. We ventured into Ni-choume for the first time that night."

Oh. Ennoshita's eyes widened.

Kinoshita shrugged. "It's no big deal. Actually, we made some friends," he continued, looking to Narita, who nodded. "And they kind of gave us the info you're curious now to know. Frankly… Kazuhito and I don't harp on about our relationship or sexuality. But it's important to have acquaintances and friends who've been there." Then he threw an arm around Ennoshita's shoulders as they drew up on the couple's apartment complex, and he sighed dramatically. "Now, dear Ennoshita, let us impart our knowledge to you."

* * *

Two days. Two whole days, Ennoshita was told by various parties (some concerned, others amused) that his face was frozen.

He knew that wasn't the case, but he hated that he could be such an open book sometimes.

Kinoshita had found it funny, Narita less so, Sugawara fretted, Sawamura wondered, Nishinoya gaped—as did Hinata, Kageyama, even Terushima at work—and Tanaka… Tanaka worried a bit, too, until he coaxed the truth from him Saturday evening.

"Don't laugh at me," Ennoshita moaned into the bar's counter.

Tanaka had to put a glass down, though, his shoulders were shaking so hard with silent laughter. "I just…!"

"What's so funny?" Nishinoya asked, popping his head out of the backroom.

"Nothing," Tanaka and Ennoshita said quickly.

The cook shrugged it off, and then the bar was theirs again.

"You know, first, I've gotta say," Tanaka picked up, "your friend, Narita, has got you pegged. You stress yourself out about things far more than you should." The bartender crossed his arms and leaned on them across the counter. He lowered his face near Ennoshita's. "Hey," he mumbled low enough for only Ennoshita to hear. "We'll be fine. _You'll_ be fine."

"You sound as though I'm the woman…"

"Eh, I _am_ a bit of a top dog, if you catch my drift."

Ennoshita groaned.

"But, in this area, I think I'm glad only one of us is a virgin," he continued, ruffling his love's hair.

Ennoshita smacked Tanaka's hand away…but he had to agree with him.

Tanaka straightened up. "Now, enough talk of that. Let me romance you some more before we get to that point."

"Ah, shh…" Ennoshita looked around, but the "crowd" was thin. Hinata and Kageyama had already been by earlier, and it wouldn't be long before Tsukishima and Yamaguchi left, judging by the snores coming from the latter who had his head on Tsukishima's shoulder. Tsukishima, for his part, didn't seem to mind or maybe even notice that they were sitting on the same side of their table tonight; his attention was caught by his earbuds and his touchscreen phone. But overall, the scenery didn't do much to lift Ennoshita's mood. "Still quiet around here, huh?"

"Yeah," the bartender replied. He continued to clean up behind the counter and eyeball the bar's inventory. "Sis said it might be a bit before we see improvement on the books, but I think the hours change was our best option."

"Mm." Ennoshita exhaled and cupped his cheek in his palm. "Speaking of which, it's pretty late. Only about two hours 'til closing."

Tanaka nodded. "Yup. You can crash upstairs, if you like."

Then an idea occurred to the businessman. "Wait. We're always here."

"Yeah… And?"

"Well, I know the trains will be done for the night long before you close, but we could always take a taxi. You should stay over at my place." As soon as he said it, the idea gave him some kind of childish excitement. A guest! Other than his best friends on the rare occasion, Ennoshita had never had anyone over at his place. Well, when he'd first moved, his parents had come to check things out, and once just to visit. But, no, this would definitely be a first for him.

Tanaka stroked his chin. "It's a little short-notice, but sure." A smile bloomed on his face, too, to match Ennoshita's.

Somehow, the last two and a half hours of the shift flew by then. Tsukishima took Yamaguchi home not long after Ennoshita had observed them, and Nishinoya closed up the kitchen after that. A couple of customers briefly came in—luckily just for drinks—and then Ennoshita found himself arranging chairs and doing a last sweep-up while Tanaka locked things down and dashed upstairs to grab a few items.

They met at the front door. Tanaka turned off the sign and locked up. "Thanks for the help," he said as they turned to the street to find a ride.

"'S nothing," Ennoshita said with a yawn.

Tanaka chuckled.

They flagged a cab and were finally on their way. The ride wasn't long, but Ennoshita already could feel sleep's pull on him. Sitting in the backseat with Tanaka was nice, though resting his head on his lover's shoulder didn't do him any favors. Drowsiness was getting to him.

Still, he stayed awake long enough to reach his apartment. They went inside, and Tanaka nodded. "Nice, nice."

Ennoshita had enough energy to laugh at himself. "Don't oversell it, Tanaka. It doesn't have the personality your place does, but it works."

Tanaka dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand. "Nah. It's very Ennoshita. I like it." And he emphasized his point with a kiss to the other man's temple.

Again, Ennoshita yawned. "Sorry I'm not more fun." He gave Tanaka a quick tour. "Kitchen, living room, bathroom, my room. Oh, and closet." Another yawn.

"All right, Sleeping Beauty, I think I can handle myself here. Go to bed. I'll get changed and join you in a moment."

Ennoshita almost protested, but he gave up. He'd just put his pajamas on and his things away when Tanaka entered the room. The brunet got under the covers first.

"Somehow I'm not surprised the bed's huge," the shaven-haired man commented.

"Why?" Ennoshita asked. He turned the light off, and somehow the darkness made him alert. Or maybe that was just Tanaka's presence here in his apartment.

Tanaka reached for his hand under the blanket. "Big bed means bigger blankets—the more for you to hog."

He could hear the laughter in Tanaka's tone. But it made him smile. "Goodnight, Tanaka."

"Mm-hmm."

And Ennoshita fell asleep with his head on the other man's shoulder.

* * *

In the morning, Ennoshita's bed felt like usual: occupied solely by him.

Once his mind woke up, he realized the abnormality and got up. Of course, just then he heard something heavy hit the floor and an "Oh, shit!" come from the living room.

The brunet walked out to find Tanaka still here and very panicky. "Uh…what are you doing?"

Tanaka looked up at him with a horrified smile. He had a couple of Ennoshita's books in his hands, and a heavier one had landed on the floor, face open but on its back. "Um…cleaning?"

Ennoshita snorted and rolled his eyes. "Cleaning or snooping?" he asked as he put things back on his bookshelf in their proper places.

"You say that as though the two activities are mutually exclusive," Tanaka said, holding on to the thinnest of the three books.

"What, do you want to borrow that? It's pretty convoluted, as far as sci-fi goes, but I enjoyed it. You can read it, if you like. Just ask—"

"No, that's—"

Ennoshita raised his eyebrows at him.

Tanaka opened the back of the book and removed a piece of paper. It was in Ennoshita's handwriting. "I noticed this…and read it."

Oh, hell. "Um, that's just me messing around," the businessman explained, now fully awake with red cheeks. He made another grab for the book, but Tanaka held it out of his reach.

"Ennoshita, don't freak out. It's _good_. When I saw you had part of a script in this book, I wondered if the other 'lists' I'd ignored in the other books might've been something similar."

"The _whole_ shelf?"

"Not yet, but I just happened to get up a half hour before you." He tugged on the other man's hand and led him over to the couch. "You've got a lot of ideas, and you're talented," he continued.

Ennoshita tugged his hand away to run it through his hair. "I wrote some of this stuff _ages_ ago, in middle school and high school…"

"Eh, real scripts?"

"Yes…" Good grief, this was embarrassing. He _rarely_ talked about this…though, the more he shared with Tanaka, the less embarrassed he felt. He met the bartender's eyes. "Honestly? I'm in marketing because of my love of film. I like to make things happen. I get a lot of ideas, and that's useful for the company."

"Wow. Do you still write for fun?"

Ennoshita shook his head. "Not really. Work _does_ keep me busy, and it's easier just to read in my free time and maybe jot down ideas. Besides, I'd rather direct." He stood and went into his kitchenette to make some coffee.

Tanaka followed him, leaving the book and script on the coffee table. "Then write something _to_ direct."

"Tanaka…"

"That's it. I've got it." Tanaka took the coffee pot out of his hands. "Let's go out."

"Can't we eat first?"

"We'll eat out. But grab your camera—you have a camera, right?—and we'll go scout locations today." That wide smile on his face told Ennoshita that Tanaka was very pleased with the idea. Ennoshita simply thought Tanaka was channeling a certain rambunctious cook they both knew.

But Ennoshita gave in. Why not? They did plenty of things together—cooking, shopping, watching TV and movies, playing games, chatting…certain amorous activities…and others. They'd even gone out to a club twice. But they tended to stay at Tanaka's, or to do things that mostly Tanaka enjoyed. This was the first time they'd be doing something Ennoshita specifically enjoyed. It was kind of thrilling.

Essentially, Tanaka wouldn't let him say no. So they dressed, Ennoshita dug out his digital camera (when had he last used it, even?), and they headed out the door.

They hit a convenience store first. Ennoshita bought fresh batteries, and Tanaka picked up a disposable camera for his own purposes. "Really?" Ennoshita prompted.

But Tanaka would only grin at him in response. "You'll see, if I decide."

Ennoshita just rolled his eyes.

Cameras in hand, the couple walked through the city. It took some cajoling from Tanaka—and a few flashes in his face—before Ennoshita began shooting. But somehow, walking through the city like this, acting like a tourist…it was fun. Ennoshita felt as though he was viewing the city with new eyes, and it was refreshing. He could appreciate how the skyscrapers cut geometric shapes out of the late winter sky. He noted how dark the asphalt was in the cold, gray daylight. He captured how people always seemed to congregate to one side or the other when stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn green.

Tanaka, too, enjoyed the sights…but Ennoshita figured the bartender likely preferred those shots which caught a bit of Ennoshita, too. Though Tanaka didn't always aim with the flash pointed towards Ennoshita, the businessman several times heard the telltale click of the shutter when his back was turned. But he didn't begrudge Tanaka it. They were both enjoying themselves.

As with breakfast, they ate lunch out, but Ennoshita did at least get Tanaka to concede to taking a quick break. They grabbed some fast food and slid into one of the restaurant's booths.

"I didn't expect you to be so enthused about this," the brunet remarked between sips of his soft drink.

"Why not? I suggested it," his boyfriend replied before taking a large bit of his burger.

"I dunno… I guess because I feel this is more something I enjoy."

"And I enjoy you. Therefore, I can enjoy the things you like." He said it with a smile and cheeks full of hamburger, giving Ennoshita the impression of a happy hamster.

Naturally, Ennoshita did his best not to laugh.

After lunch, they were back at it. Yet, as the hours wore on and day melted away to dusk, the pictures they took were fewer. They were still caught up in their surroundings, but Ennoshita's fingers were caught in Tanaka's as they walked along, not on the shutter button.

Eventually they began to wend their way back. Nearer to Ennoshita's apartment, they hit the convenience store again, where Tanaka dropped off his camera to be developed and bought ingredients to cook dinner. "You don't have to cook, you know," the brunet pointed out. "Technically, you're _my_ guest."

"So cook for me next time," Tanaka quipped.

They might be months into this relationship, but Ennoshita's heart still did somersaults when he heard such romantic lines. "What about your photos?"

"One-hour developing. I'll pop out after dinner to collect 'em." His wolfish grin was now closer to that of a child who knew he was getting his way.

Back at Ennoshita's place, Tanaka insisted that Ennoshita start looking through today's photos, so the brunet did while his lover prepped their meal. Soon enough, delicious smells wafted from the kitchenette to every other room. It made it hard to focus on his computer screen.

"How'd they come out?" the bartender called from the stovetop.

"Pretty good, I guess. I got some artsy shots. A few came out too weird, though, as if they're from a travel brochure. A couple," Ennoshita griped, "are ridiculously blurry."

"That so?"

"Brat. You know you distracted me."

"I can't help being sexy."

This time, Ennoshita _did_ laugh.

He continued flipping through the images before copying them from the SD card onto the desktop. Then he opened an editor and began playing with filters and effects. Tanaka sneaked up behind him. "Ooh, that looks cool."

Ennoshita wasn't easy to spook, though, especially when absorbed in whatever was in front of him. "Yeah… I can never choose between sepia or grayscale, though." He switched a gorgeous skyscape from sepia to black and white and turned his head to see Tanaka's face. "See? … Tanaka?"

Tanaka had lost a little of his color, though, and his smile had drooped. Then he seemed to realize Ennoshita was still eying him. "Sorry." At least he wasn't trying to pretend nothing had happened.

"Don't be. What is it?"

The shaven-haired man straightened up and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Nah…it's just… My mom _loved_ black-and-white movies."

"Oh?"

"Yeah… She was a sucker for those wartime era ones, especially. When she met my dad and they started dating, he took her to a theater that played old films on their first date." His smile was small but incredibly warm when talking about his parents. "Of course, that date almost didn't happen."

Ennoshita blinked. "Why?"

"Eh, Dad was trying out being a yankee for a year. He met Mom, but she laughed, thinking he was ridiculous as a yankee. He stopped playing around when he began chasing her." If he had more he wanted to say, Tanaka didn't share. Besides, his nose caught a whiff of something then and whatever was cooking almost burned. He managed to save dinner, though.

Once the food was ready, Tanaka _did_ duck out to the store to get his own pictures. He and Ennoshita had a good time, eating and chatting and laughing at what poses had been made immortal with Tanaka's camera. The night wasn't too bad, Ennoshita thought, even if some part of Tanaka seemed closed off for the rest of the night.

* * *

At two in the morning, Tanaka cleared his throat and said, "Hey, Ennoshita?"

Ennoshita mumbled into his shoulder and squeezed him a little tighter with his right arm. "Yeah?"

The quiet replied.

Ennoshita opened his eyes as much as he could, despite being so sleepy and despite the darkness of his room. Both he and Tanaka were on their left sides, with Tanaka being the little spoon. Ennoshita's right arm was draped over him, and Tanaka's arm was snug against his side, trapping Ennoshita's arm against his body under the covers. He moved his hand down his chest, covering the brunet's hand with his own and interlacing their fingers. He gave Ennoshita's hand a little squeeze.

"…thanks."

The businessman smiled against the bartender's shoulder. "For what?"

"For everything, I guess. For recently, for walking into the bar in the first place…for today."

Today… Ennoshita had an inkling, but he waited for Tanaka to say the words out loud:

"It was two years ago today that she passed."

Even expecting to hear them, Ennoshita couldn't help but feel slightly depressed. He picked his head up off his pillow. As he opened his mouth to speak, Tanaka cut him off.

"Will you go with me tomorrow?"

Ennoshita didn't even have to know where the grave was before answering. "Yes."

Just like that, tension ebbed from Tanaka. The bartender sighed and gripped Ennoshita's hand a bit harder. He raised his love's fingers up to kiss them.

Ennoshita hugged him and kissed the back of Tanaka's neck before resting on his pillow again. It was yet another in a string of moments in which he had no words to offer his boyfriend…but he had a feeling that would change after tomorrow.

* * *

The morning was quiet, but the heaviness which Ennoshita noticed had been sticking to Tanaka lately had been alleviated. They moved quickly, Ennoshita drinking only one cup of coffee and them nibbling on some food before heading out.

Tanaka said that they'd go to Sendai via highway bus. It was the cheapest option that could be done without reservations, though that meant about five and a half hours one way. They got their tickets—Ennoshita's treat, once Tanaka realized he was low on cash—and boarded the bus, which wasn't terribly crowded for a weekday.

Five and a half hours was a long time for a bus ride. Neither felt the need to fill the silence with idle chatter, though Tanaka shared a few funny stories from his childhood with Ennoshita. And, when he needed a break to recover his voice, he was more than content enough to sit and hold the businessman's hand as the scenery changed outside their window.

At some point, Ennoshita nodded off. He awoke with a jolt when the bus slowed down and took a speed bump too quickly. "We're here?" he asked.

Tanaka nodded. "I dozed a little, too. But yeah. Welcome to Sendai."

Ennoshita followed the other man off the bus and took in his surroundings. It wasn't that he'd never been—he was from Miyagi, too—but he'd only had occasion to visit the city a handful of times.

Tanaka tugged on Ennoshita's fingers. "I'd like to admire the view, too, but we've a train to catch to my hometown."

The brunet nodded, and they took the commuter line out. Now the memories _did_ come flowing back to Ennoshita. They passed the stop where he and Kinoshita and Narita would go to for, in Kinoshita's words, "the best arcade Miyagi has to offer." When they got off, Ennoshita remembered the station and how he used to peer at it, wondering if the train that could take him away from here might actually show him something exciting and new. They walked the same streets Ennoshita used to take home… They passed by Sakanoshita Shop, and Ennoshita could practically taste the meat buns… They rounded the corner near the playground where Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita would play with a volleyball after the day during middle school… They even passed by Ennoshita's home street, and he felt a blip of guilt for knowing he wasn't going to visit his parents on this trip. But he didn't let his guilt consume him at all. They'd come here for Tanaka, and this trip was part of Tanaka's story. Ennoshita's could be told another day.

An old woman nodded when she saw Tanaka as they approached the vicinity of the cemetery. Without exchanging words, she cut a bough off her camellia bush and passed the cerise bundle to Tanaka. He tipped his head to her and explained to Ennoshita that she was the old woman who'd watched him and Saeko occasionally when they were little. Then they were at the cemetery.

It was like any other cemetery, Ennoshita supposed. He'd never visited this one—his family had plots in another town, where his grandparents were buried—so he drank in the details with his eyes. Granted, they were here at the end of January, so every pale headstone seemed blanched when surrounded by the stark white snow and bare trees. Still, there was a quiet, ethereal, haunting beauty to the place. The leafless trees, the smoothly cut stones—everything felt as though it had been place precisely, knowingly.

Suddenly, Tanaka halted, causing Ennoshita to bump into him. The bartender squinted. "Is that…?" He pointed to two silhouettes standing at the crest of the hill. "Sis!" he shouted, cupping his free hand around his mouth to enhance his volume. Not that he really needed it, though.

The two figures turned as the couple neared them. Indeed it was Saeko and her new husband, Akiteru-san. Ennoshita had only met them a couple of times—at the bar, at their wedding, and at his birthday party at The Roost in December—but he'd seen them around more often than not, so they were familiar faces. Akiteru-san looked the same as ever, politely nervous smile matched with those golden Tsukishima eyes. By comparison, Saeko was definitely changing. Aside from her rounded belly, her hair was a smidge longer and neater, and she wasn't wearing as many earrings in her numerous piercings. The punk woman was looking more and more like a punk mother. She grinned when she saw them.

"You didn't come yesterday?" Tanaka asked her as he pulled her in for a big hug. Ennoshita and Akiteru-san shook hands.

"Nah. Besides, Mom always said we took after Dad—better late than never," Saeko replied. She briefly hugged Ennoshita, too. "And nice to see you, too, Chikara."

"Likewise," the brunet replied. "Um…'better late than never'…?"

The siblings laughed. "Well, Dad was late for their first date," Saeko mentioned.

"He was late when meeting her parents," Tanaka added.

"Even late to his own wedding," they chorused.

Their eyes softened when they looked at the headstone with two names: Tanaka Shinsuke and Tanaka Raiko. "We aren't as bad as Dad, though," Tanaka continued gently.

Beside him, Saeko nodded. She hugged her brother's arm to her and leaned her head against it, and, for a second, it was as if they were the only two people there in the cemetery.

Ennoshita looked to Akiteru-san for some sign that they should give the brother and sister space. But Akiteru-san caught his eye and shook his head. He was probably right, anyway. When a strong-headed Tanaka made up his or her mind to have you with them in a place like this, they meant it.

As if hearing their thoughts, Saeko reached for Akiteru-san's arm, as well, and Tanaka took Ennoshita's hand after placing the camellias on the grave. The marker was clear; obviously Saeko and Akiteru-san had arrived just enough before the other two to clean off the snow. Now there were two bunches of camellias decorating the grave, however.

Saeko chuckled. "You saw Nomura-san, huh?"

"Yeah," Tanaka said. "She looks the same as when we were little."

For a minute after that comment, things were extremely quiet. Saeko was the first to speak then. "Hey, since we're all here, why don't we grab a bite to eat?" And, as no one had an alternative to offer, that was exactly what they did.

* * *

Eating with Tanaka's sister and brother-in-law was pleasant. They hadn't had the opportunity to do so before this, and it was rather nice eating for once with people who were family and not friends.

Still, as they idled through lunch, Tanaka and Ennoshita couldn't stay long. Saeko and Akiteru-san didn't mention their plans, but Ennoshita figured they were going to stay a little longer.

The quartet split in half after lunch, and Tanaka and Ennoshita wound their way back to the train station. Again, Ennoshita reminisced about his escapist thoughts from when he was younger…but, glancing at Tanaka, he felt that he'd gotten what he'd wanted all along: some _one_ exciting and new.

The five and a half hours back didn't feel as long as they had before. They passed more easily as Ennoshita spoke about what he'd do when he got home and as Tanaka planned the menu for the rest of the week. Ennoshita teased him lightly about that, because The Roost didn't exactly stick to any menu. As long as Nishinoya had the ingredients, he'd whip up basically anything within his capability.

By the time they returned to Ennoshita's apartment, it was nighttime. They lazed about while eating last night's leftovers, but Tanaka packed his stuff. He sighed dramatically at the door.

"You can't miss me already," the businessman teased.

Tanaka's arms were around the shorter's waist, though, and he'd arranged Ennoshita's arms around his neck. He sighed again as he touched their noses together. "Can, too. Practically two and a half days with my Ennoshita and now I have to go home."

"I'll be by tomorrow night. You know that."

"Yeah, I do. But I've really enjoyed this time together." He rested his head by Ennoshita's neck. "…sorry for being a downer, too."

"You weren't one," Ennoshita corrected him.

Tanaka lifted his head so they could lock eyes. Eventually, he nodded. He pecked his boyfriend's lips and let go. "All right. I'll see you tomorrow."

He turned to go, but Ennoshita tapped his shoulder and turned him back around. The brunet took Tanaka's face in both of his hands and kissed him, abruptly and with a hell of a lot of more vigor than normal. He even stunned Tanaka by being the one to slip his tongue in, and, when they broke for breath and rested their foreheads together, they both laughed, red-faced and relieved. "You're loved, Tanaka," Ennoshita finally stated.

Tanaka laughed again and fiddled with Ennoshita's fringe, cupping the latter's cheek with in his palm. "You, too," he added with a wink, and there truly was something much better about this exchange than if they'd gone with the standard "I love you."

The bartender did leave after that. Sure, his apartment was suddenly _too_ silent, but Ennoshita didn't feel lonely in the least bit. Just then, his cell rang. "Hello?"

"Heya," Tanaka said with a shiver.

Ennoshita rolled his eyes. "What are we, teen girls in love?" Though he wouldn't deny that he enjoyed their ridiculousness.

"If you'd seen Yachi when she first met Kiyoko-san, you wouldn't joke. But go into your room."

"Why, did you forget something?"

"Maybe."

Ennoshita went and checked his bedroom. A messily-folded black sweatshirt with a frayed neckline was on his pillow. It was the same sweatshirt Tanaka had worn over. "You're freezing outside, aren't you?" the businessman guessed.

"Maybe," Tanaka repeated. "Oh. By the way, you're missing a t-shirt."

"You… I thought I invited my boyfriend over, not a cat who steals clothing."

He could hear Tanaka grinning. "Sleep tight, Ennoshita."

"Sweet dreams, Tanaka."

"…"

"… You want me to stay on until you're home?"

"And you think _I_ do all the romancing around here."

* * *

"Oh, _finally_ , it's _February_ ," Sugawara said at the end of the week.

"January ends every year," Ennoshita told him as they reviewed notes from a recent meeting.

"Yeah, but it felt as though it'd never end." The Marketing manager dragged his hands over his face. "You know? How some months or weeks or even days seem unending?"

Ennoshita shrugged. "It depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you've got something to occupy your attention." A second after he said it, he knew he'd regret it. Of course his boss hummed happily to himself.

"Oh, Ennoshita, how you've grown…! Such mature words."

"Sugawara-san…you _do_ know that Sawamura-san told me it's okay to inform him when you're bothering me?"

The sandy-haired man pulled a face. "But I'm not bothering you! And Daichi wouldn't say that."

"You're right. He used the word 'harassing.'" Ennoshita cracked a smile.

Sugawara laughed. "That sounds more like him." He cleared his throat and put his pen down. "Ennoshita…have you spoken to your parents yet?"

"No." Ennoshita stopped writing, too, and met Sugawara's gaze. "I'm still…working on that."

His boss nodded, understanding.

"But, regarding what else we were talking about last time… Tanaka has shared another part of his life with me. You were right, about not dwelling on things out of my control. He came to me on his own."

Those pale brown eyes widened ever so slightly, but there was an easy warmth in them. "I'm glad. For you, but also for him. I remember Tanaka as being not only one of the loudest people I knew…but also one of the most sensitive and empathetic."

Ennoshita agreed. Tanaka's "tough guy" exterior was perhaps ninety percent bravado, realistically speaking. That reminded him, however, of the bar's current situation and how Tanaka and everyone else kept telling him not to worry. Specifically, he thought of Tanaka's attempts to deflect talking about the topic at all. But as February ticked away, the brunet didn't feel it was his place to get involved in that part of Tanaka's business.

A week before Kinoshita's birthday, Ennoshita asked his best friends for their opinions on the matter. "I mean, these things happen. But it's kind of frustrating, watching from the sidelines."

They were at the couple's apartment, and Narita and Ennoshita were on the floor, parked in front of the television. Kinoshita came and sat on the couch behind them with a fresh drink in his hands. "Ennoshita…," the blond began.

"Well?" He looked between the two of them, a tad desperate.

Narita rolled his eyes. "I give up sounding like a broken record. Tag—you're it, Hisashi," he muttered into his drink. He ignored the look Ennoshita gave him.

"Maybe," Kinoshita tried, "you should spell it out plainly for Tanaka. Y'know, tell him straight out that you're worried, whether he wants you to be or not. Actually tell him, in words, that you're there for him, whatever he needs." He smiled deliriously, as if swooning at his own idea. "Trust me. It's one of the best things to hear."

It didn't escape Ennoshita's eyes that Narita's ears turned raw meat red at Kinoshita's thoughts, but he didn't have it in him to poke fun.

"And, speaking of awesome things," Kinoshita continued, breaking Ennoshita's train of thought, "there's a holiday next week~"

"Valentine's Day," the other two chorused, playing the same game they did every year with the blond.

" _No_! My birthday!" Kinoshita huffed. "Don't you two ever get tired of doing that?"

"Yours is the day after Valentine's Day, mine's the day after Christmas—I'll stop doing it to you when you stop doing it to me," the businessman announced.

Kinoshita rolled his eyes. "Fine. Anyway, I was thinking we could grab dinner after work. You could invite Tanaka, too."

"I appreciate the thought, but Nishinoya's the one with Thursdays off, not Tanaka."

"What if we went out earlier, then? Before the bar opens?"

"It's not really dinner at that point," Narita observed.

"We could end things with drinks at The Roost," Kinoshita proposed.

Ennoshita shrugged. It wasn't a bad plan. Plus, Tanaka wanted to hang out more with Ennoshita's friends, too. He texted the bartender, and Tanaka was quick to reply in the affirmative.

"Good. Now," the blond forged on, "here's a list of possible things to get me…"

Narita and Ennoshita merely groaned.

* * *

"That was fun," Tanaka assured Ennoshita on the sixteenth. "Kinoshita's a laugh, and Narita gets your goat. And that story, from university, when Narita's classmate tried to set you up—" He laughed again, just as he had yesterday. "How did the communications get so badly messed up that you were accidentally set up with a guy?!" He caught his breath and swiped at his eyes. "Who knows? Maybe those around you had a better idea of your type back then than you did."

Ennoshita glared into his drink, his face burning hot enough to melt the ice in the glass. Last night, yes, had been a success…of sorts. Considering Kinoshita was rambunctious along the same lines as Tanaka, Ennoshita had prepared himself for them to form some kind of Terrible Twosome. In actuality, Narita had been the worst, "innocently" sharing tales from his and Ennoshita's college days. Kinoshita was lucky he'd started working and hadn't gone to school with them, the brunet thought—otherwise he knew he'd have plenty of stories that would silence both of his best friends.

But the Ennoshita-poking aside, the night had been fun. Tanaka had been kind enough to type out a quick beginner's guide to mixing drinks, since Kinoshita really did enjoy his bartending skills. Ennoshita had found a collector's edition of one of Kinoshita's favorite videogames, and the first round at the bar last night had been on him. Narita covered the whole tab when they grabbed an early dinner, but the businessman suspected he had other plans for Kinoshita set for another time. Yesterday was more like the kickoff for a whole birthday weekend.

Ennoshita raised his head, trying to forgive Tanaka for still laughing at the story. "Anyway… Kinoshita picks things up pretty fast, you know. Maybe you'll be able to hire him soon enough, if you need a day off."

Tanaka definitely stopped laughing, and he held on to the glass he was cleaning. "No," he said defensively. "My bar. My space. Mine." He could be such a kid.

"That's what I thought." Ennoshita shrugged and crossed his arms on the counter. "It _is_ your space, and I like seeing you in it." He smiled then, and it was the kind of smile that made them forget that Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi were still in the restaurant. "I also like seeing you out from behind the counter," the brunet continued.

The shaven-haired man snorted. "And you do get to see me that way a lot."

"So what's the plan for the weekend, then?" It was becoming a normal question, asked every week. The only thing never set in stone was if they'd be at Ennoshita's apartment or stay in Tanaka's loft.

"I think it's my turn to play host," Tanaka stated. His eyes lit up. "Actually…"

"What?"

The bartender placed his hands palm down on either side of the sink behind the counter and leaned forward. His eyes crinkled when he smiled. "We were both working and then it was Kinoshita's birthday—we never got to have our first proper Valentine's Day together." Worse yet, his voice was low and throaty, not husky, but it had a much greater effect on Ennoshita.

"I can't deny it: You raise a good point," the businessman agreed, feeling warm from more than just the alcohol.

"Well, calm down," Tanaka said, straightening up and patting Ennoshita's right hand, "'cause it's Friday night, not Saturday. Wait just a little bit longer."

Ennoshita sighed. "Yeah, I know… I should head home anyway," he mentioned. He paid for his drink and waved at his lover.

Tanaka caught his eye and motioned for Ennoshita to meet him at the exit. "And, uh, you should bring some extra stuff, too."

"Stuff…?"

" _Underwear_ ," Tanaka hissed, but he looked ready to laugh, he seemed so embarrassed saying something like this at work. He playfully shoved Ennoshita's arm. "I'll see you tomorrow night, dummy."

"Ahm." Ennoshita moved his head around pointlessly and tried clearing the sudden desert that had formed in his throat. He made it home without mishap, but he was on autopilot throughout his nightly routine. By the time he was lying in bed, he was wide awake.

So…this was it. This weekend. Yes, Ennoshita wasn't a complete stranger to Tanaka's body—things had gotten more than hands-y on multiple occasions with the two of them. But this weekend would be different. It would be planned, it would be special…

This weekend, Ennoshita Chikara would no longer be a virgin.

* * *

…or maybe he _would_ remain "pure" and "chaste." He grunted at the thought.

He'd woken up late Saturday morning. It was frustrating, because he'd been unable to sleep for most of the night. By the time he finally shut his eyes, it had been so late that night so as to be so early the next morning. So he ended up sleeping right through his alarm, making him two hours late for work.

Worse, Sugawara wasn't his usual forgiving self. When Ennoshita came in, his boss was already storming on the floor. Apparently they had a new project to work on that was bigger than anything else they'd seen in the past. The downside? They only had the usual timeline to work on it.

Ennoshita ended up on his feet all day long, doing everything listed in his job description and then some. Frankly, the only things keeping him going were the coffee and the reminder to buy clean underwear and a new toothbrush on his way home before going over to The Roost. The minimart by the station had a sale on toothbrushes, so he hoped he'd make it out of work on time to buy a few.

Worse still… Terushima's computer got a virus. Things were looking less and less likely that Ennoshita would make it out before nine. Maybe not even before ten!

"Tell me again, what were you doing before the screen filled with snow?" Ennoshita asked his coworker as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Terushima was one second away from whimpering. "I—I was just, in my email, y'know? Looking for a message from Ikejiri in Production." His shoulders sagged. "My email's set to preview things as I scroll through, so I deleted the message above the bad one and then everything went on the fritz, I think I saw some of my files deleted remotely, and then—well, then the snow happened." He groaned, and the sound traveled through the floor so Ennoshita could feel it in his feet.

"That was incredibly careless," Sugawara said, beginning to sound as tired as his subordinates felt. "And I thought our email system was set up differently? Mine doesn't do that. Yours?" he directed at Ennoshita, who shook his head.

"I…might have changed my settings," Terushima offered in a very tiny voice while staring at the ceiling.

Ennoshita could see the vein throbbing at Sugawara's left temple, so he ushered his boss back towards their offices. "Look, Sugawara-san—it's late, but we already called I.T. They're sending someone up. We'll get this fixed," he promised, but it was more of a prayer said to calm himself down.

The I.T. guy, Ryugazaki, came promptly. He tried hitting a few buttons, but he didn't power anything off. He set up another hard drive on Ennoshita's old desk, as well as another monitor. Then he connected Terushima's CPU to the new system. "I'm mirroring the hard drive," he explained, pushing his red-rimmed glasses up his face. "The spare system is protected, but this will allow us to see what is going on behind the snow."

Once things were ready, the spare monitor came to life, and it looked like Terushima's desktop. His desktop was sparse as ever, but his email was hanging open. And files were still being deleted.

"Hey, that's my stuff! Shit, that's my _work_!" Terushima exclaimed. He clung to Ryugazaki's chair. "Stop this guy from deleting my stuff!"

"I'm trying," Ryugazaki muttered. After what seemed like a lot of banging on the keyboard, Terushima's files stopped moving on their own. "There. I've stopped the intruder from accessing anything else. I'll kick them out of our network once I'm back downstairs in I.T." He turned to Terushima. "Take a look at your inbox and see if you notice something."

All three Marketing operatives stared at the screen. The emails listed looked fairly normal…except the bad one. "Ah," Ennoshita said. "The sender—it should read 'Ikejiri Hayato,' not 'Production.' The individual departments don't have email addresses."

"Exactly. My guess is that Terushima-san, in his haste to find that email, saw the word 'Production,' paying no mind to the fact that it wasn't under the subject column."

Terushima groaned a second time, though it sounded more like a moan to wake the dead. "I'm such an idiot…!"

The expression on Sugawara's face said "I'm glad we're in agreement," but he didn't voice his thoughts. "Does that mean we're done here?" the sandy-haired fellow asked Ryugazaki.

"Yes," the tech replied. "And I'd advise you not change any settings again in the future," he directed to Terushima. "I'll see how quickly we can get this taken care of. Have a good weekend," he said by way of parting, and he wheeled away his supplies and Terushima's CPU once everything had been unhooked.

Sugawara heaved a large sigh and loosened his tie. "I just hope this is just a hiccup and not the gray skies before a storm."

Terushima opened his mouth to give his two cents, but he caught Ennoshita's eye and said nothing. "Let's take it as a good sign that Ryugazaki-kun wasn't panicking," the brunet offered. "And, also, let's call it a day. Sugawara-san?"

Karasuno's former vice-captain twisted his mouth around unpleasantly and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah…yeah, let's do that." He didn't even say goodbye as he turned away from the other two, pulling his cellphone from his pocket as he went to grab his things from his office. The last thing Ennoshita heard before Sugawara's voice was muffled by the distance was his boss saying "Hey, Daichi," so hopefully the weekend wasn't completely ruined. On the other hand…

Terushima rested his head on his desk, kicking at his chair's legs. "I've blown it, haven't I, Ennoshita?"

Ennoshita tried to muster a smile. "No… This could've happened to anyone. I'd be surprised if you weren't back up and running next week."

"Honest?"

"Really."

The blond picked his head up and gave Ennoshita a once-over. "You're a really bad liar, man."

Ennoshita sighed. "So I've been told."

But Terushima perked up. "Thanks, though." He grabbed his satchel from beside his chair on the floor and got up. "You're right, about heading home, too. Walk you out?"

It couldn't hurt. Ennoshita's plans had gone awry already, but he knew he still had time to run his errands before heading to The Roost. "Sure."

They avoided Sugawara as they went down the staircase. "You've saved my butt more than once," Terushima pointed out.

"Not really. I just diffuse bad situations," the brunet amended.

"No. You're a good guy, Ennoshita." At last, his energetic smile was back. "Oh, I just remembered… A few months ago, I offered to set you up with a friend of mine. She's still single."

"Thank you, but no thanks."

"Really? It's the least I could do for you."

"I actually already have someone." How nice it was, to have the chance to say it, finally. Something akin to pride swelled in his chest, and Tanaka filled his mind.

Terushima laughed good-naturedly as they arrived at the lobby. "Well, who am I to argue with that?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "I'm parked in the garage, so this is me. Catch ya Tuesday, Ennoshita. And tell your pal Yuuji about your special someone next time! We could even go out together, you and your person and me and Hana-chan!"

Ennoshita chuckled at the idea, but he didn't brush it off. Terushima was growing on him. But he glanced at his watch. He would definitely make time for his "old pal Yuuji" some other time.

He ended up catching the sale right before the mart closed, and he got everything he needed before he headed home to throw a bag together. He kind of threw his stuff willy-nilly into a small duffel and debated changing out of his suit. Even though it'd delay him more, he ultimately changed into jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, and he made a mental note to buy at least one more suit one of these days, as he had three and two were the exact same.

He caught one of the last trains for the evening and tried to enjoy the quick, brisk walk to the bar. February was going by much more quickly than January had, and winter was fading from the city. Ennoshita pouted at that—spring meant no more Tanaka in cute beanie hats. Ah, well. After the day he'd had, Ennoshita was ready for _any_ Tanaka at all!

Ennoshita took the steps two at a time—missing one towards the bottom and glad Tanaka hadn't seen, otherwise he'd hear about it all weekend—and arrived, safe and sound, at The Roost. The silver and black interior felt as cozy as ever…but he was surprised to see Akiteru-san sliding into Ennoshita's usual seat at the counter.

"Tsu—Akiteru-san?" the businessman prompted as he joined him, catching himself. He and Saeko had made it clear when they'd last seen Ennoshita that it was fine to use their given names.

The fair-haired man turned his head in Ennoshita's direction, and he gave a slight nod by way of greeting.

Then Ennoshita noted it was almost midnight, and yet there were barely any patrons. In fact, Ennoshita only spied Tsukishima and Yamaguchi in their usual booth. But even they were getting ready to leave, as Yamaguchi left some money and went for the exit, fiddling with his phone.

Voices garbled by the closed door to the backroom caught the businessman's attention next. As Tanaka was absent from behind the bar, Ennoshita surmised one voice was his, and another, Nishinoya's, since the cook worked Saturdays. And, if Akiteru-san was here… The third voice, which sounded undoubtedly feminine compared to the other two, had to belong to Saeko.

"Is something wrong?" Ennoshita asked as quietly as he could, but he feared his voice was a tad shrill from overuse today.

Akiteru-san grimaced. "It's just…business. Saeko needed to meet with Ryuunosuke and Yuu in person."

That was never a good sign.

Even Tsukishima must've been thinking the same, for he approached his brother. "She's had several talks with them recently. What's going on?"

So strange to hear Tsukishima's voice, as he typically kept quiet…but he was looking at his brother with a furrowed brow that was half glare, half…concern? "If it helps, no one's in trouble, Kei." Akiteru-san gave them half a smile. "Honestly."

"Tch." Tsukishima clicked his tongue, but Ennoshita noticed that his hands were out of his pockets and he was twiddling his thumbs.

Nishinoya emerged then, dressed as though he'd reached the end of his shift. "Ah! Chikara, hey!" he nearly hollered. However, he looked paler than normal. "Can't stay to chat! Closing time, y'know. Ah, Yamaguchi! Let's head out!" the short man decided when he spied his kouhai, who'd just gotten off the phone.

Tsukishima looked between his best friend being dragged away and his brother, and then he cursed under his breath. He scowled at Akiteru-san for good measure before he, too, left the bar.

The blond sighed very softly. "I've gone and worried him," he thought aloud, but that didn't explain much of anything to Ennoshita.

After another minute, the Tanaka siblings' voices rose once more, except this time the last dregs of their conversation could be heard through the door. "I'm not telling you this is the end; I'm saying _we need to be careful or else_!" Saeko snarled.

Tanaka growled. "And I'm _not_ saying I'm throwing in the towel, _but what else is there to do_?!"

Saeko audibly huffed and left the backroom. She halted when she saw Ennoshita, but that was the only indication she gave that she acknowledged him before she stomped out of The Roost. Akiteru-san followed her, and the last thing Ennoshita heard was Saeko telling her husband in a very low voice "That's it. I'm calling her. Let's hope her offer still stands." Whatever _that_ meant.

Now the place which Kinoshita and Narita jokingly referred to as Ennoshita's new home felt big and empty. Ennoshita realized he'd never sat fully alone in the bar's quiet, and now it was getting to him. Whereas the silence tended to wrap around him like a favorite blanket, tonight it left him feeling cold and as if he were standing outside in the snow in his boxers.

Ennoshita sat still and waited. Tanaka was another six minutes before he came out, and even then he didn't see his boyfriend as he jogged up the stairs to lock up for the night. Only when he came back downstairs did he nearly have a heart attack at seeing the place actually _wasn't_ empty.

"Hey."

"Ennoshita! Cripes!" The bartender clutched his chest over his heart. "Give a guy some warning, will ya?"

"I've been here the whole time." Ennoshita frowned. "Did you honestly not see me?"

Tanaka's eyes widened, and he gaped a bit at the other man. "What? No… Wait, when did you get here?"

"Fifteen, twenty minutes ago."

He clenched his jaw. "How much did you hear?"

"Barely anything." Which Ennoshita supposed was the truth. Little had made sense, anyway.

Tanaka shook his head and avoided Ennoshita's eyes. "I was going to text you not to come. It's a bad time right now."

Ennoshita's shoulders sagged—but, no, he wouldn't let Tanaka dismiss things so easily, not again. He hopped off the barstool and went to the shaven-haired man, taking his hand when he continued not to look at him. "Tanaka, I can see it's a bad time, but don't you think that makes all the more sense for me to have come here?" He grabbed Tanaka's chin. "Hey. Look at me. I'm here, _for you_. I'll do whatever I can, _for you_. So please don't shut me out. _This_ ," he added, interlocking their fingers, "means that I make your business _my_ business…if you let me."

The next thing he knew, Ennoshita could barely see around Tanaka's head, for the thuggish man had him enveloped in quite possibly the largest bear hug ever. Tanaka cupped the back of Ennoshita's head with one hand, and he turned his face not to rest their foreheads together but to nuzzle the shorter man. He remained quiet while Ennoshita held him, but eventually Ennoshita loosened Tanaka's python-tight grip on him.

"Shall I help you tidy up?"

"No." Tanaka straightened and pressed his fists at his eyes, hiding tears as he shook his head and rolled his shoulders. "No. Leave it. I can take care of it tomorrow or Monday, whatever." He slipped his bowtie from around his neck and pocketed it. "Let's just go upstairs."

Ennoshita bobbed his head and grabbed his bag. He trotted to keep up with the bartender, who was still moving quickly and as if he had no company. Even once they entered Tanaka's apartment, Tanaka shucked his vest, draping it over the back of the couch, and unbuttoned his shirt as he made a beeline for the fridge. If he was looking for a beer, though, he must've thought otherwise, because he slammed the fridge door shut.

" _Damn it_!" he cursed.

The businessman placed his bag on the floor that led from the vestibule to the living room. He went and sat on the couch, looking over the armrest to the kitchen. "So…catch me up."

Tanaka snorted darkly and began pacing where he was. "Well, we're screwed. I mean, we're not screwed yet, not totally—we're not in the red yet—but the bar's been pulling in less and less money, which is why we knocked Sunday off the week. The money to pay Noya-san for being fulltime? Sis already did her part, by stopping drawing even a small paycheck for herself as owner. But even with all that, money's still ridiculously tight." He paused for breath. "Four weeks. Four freaking weeks, Ennoshita. And the numbers haven't improved. Pretty soon we _will_ be in debt." His voice was hushed and cracked on the last word. He'd stopped pacing, as well, as if the severity of the situation had finally seeped in. He joined Ennoshita on the couch, and his tone grew desperate as beige eyes found brown ones. "Debt… Do you know what that means?"

It was obviously a rhetorical question. Ennoshita didn't answer.

The bartender clasped his hands together. "…happened," he began. He cleared his throat and started over. "The bar happened the year after I graduated from Karasuno. Sis had been thinking about starting it, but then Dad died the summer after my graduation. We were devastated. But do you know what our mother did? She told Saeko to take some money, use part of her inheritance, and make a name out of the bar. 'And get out of our small town!' she'd laughed. So Saeko left and did just that. _I_ didn't know what to do. I didn't have any plans. But Mom and Saeko thought a move would be good for me, too. I was hesitant initially, but I joined Sis out here in the city. Now, here it is, almost eight years after opening, and _we could lose the place_." Tanaka shook his head. "It doesn't feel as though we did what Mom wished for us."

Ennoshita frowned and leaned forward, reaching to rub circles on the other's back. "Tanaka…"

"Sorry. I'm just so angry at myself. I know this isn't the first time you offered help or whatever, but I shot you down because even _I_ don't know what to do." His hands were clenched so tightly together that his knuckles were white, and the brunet feared that Tanaka's nails might cut into his palms if he squeezed any harder.

"Then start with something simple," Ennoshita suggested, prying Tanaka's hands open. "Go take a bath. A long, hot one—hot enough it'll cloud your mind for a while." He patted his lover on the leg. "I'll still be here, so take all the time you need."

Tanaka nodded, though he appeared a bit doubtful—about the bar, about the relaxation, about _him_ , Ennoshita wasn't certain—and stood. He left for the bathroom without a word and, only once the door shut with a loud, heavy click, Ennoshita remembered his own troubles. But he pushed them aside. They seemed like such minor scruples by now.

* * *

Ennoshita had the TV on low volume and was mindlessly flicking through the channels when the bathroom door opened. He glanced over and saw Tanaka trudge into the hallway, his face hidden by the towel draped over his head. Ennoshita said nothing as Tanaka rejoined him on the couch, but he turned the TV off when Tanaka angled his body towards him.

The businessman smiled sympathetically at the bartender, even though the latter couldn't see it. He reached for the towel and gently rubbed Tanaka's head, letting the ends soak up the moisture still on those tan shoulders and on that tan neck.

A hand grabbed one of Ennoshita's wrists and stopped him. Ennoshita waited for some signal, and eventually Tanaka's head twitched. Finally he raised it, the upper half of his face still hidden by white cotton, and he sought Ennoshita's mouth.

It was the kind of kiss where one desired not just another's taste but his breath, as well. Steady yet urgent, it was a link between the two men, like a lifesaver thrown out to sea.

Tanaka's breath was hotter than normal, but Ennoshita chocked it up to him having just come from the bath. The shaven-haired man leaned in to the contact, and his hand moved from the shorter male's wrist to his fingers while Tanaka's free hand did the same. Ennoshita wasn't stupid; he could feel the armrest at his back, but he didn't see the need to move away, even as Tanaka's knee parted his thighs.

Ennoshita kissed back until Tanaka moved his mouth to his neck. Then his breath came out in small, breathy pants as teeth nipped at his skin and fingers left his to leave what felt like scorch marks on his abdomen. He held Tanaka in place with a hand behind the bartender's head, and he grasped at Tanaka's back with the other before slipping it down the other man's pants and giving his buttocks a squeeze. And that was nothing compared to where Tanaka was touching, tugging, rubbing.

The brunet's jeans were half off his hips, and his boxers were barely still on. It didn't help that Tanaka had switched to playing with just his tip, and that made him incredibly tight and almost fully erect. He hadn't had much of an idea until now exactly how sensitive he was.

Then Tanaka's fingers moved to the base of his hilt. Ennoshita's moan almost escaped him, but Tanaka caught the sound in another kiss, moving quickly enough that the towel fell to the floor. Once Ennoshita calmed down, Tanaka sat up partially.

They were a sight. Tanaka, straddling him. Ennoshita, being straddled. Both of them basically half naked with tents in their pants. If Ennoshita had had the presence of mind, he might've sighed and even chuckled at the scenario.

Instead, Tanaka got up and offered a hand to his love. Ennoshita kicked off his jeans and he let Tanaka lead him to the actual loft space in the apartment, over the kitchen, where Tanaka typically slept.

Even in the heat of the moment, they didn't rush things. Yes, Ennoshita was the one on his back and they finished undressing—sex could be messy business—but Tanaka was delicate in all his ministrations. After all, it wasn't just a matter of playing with each other's member as they'd done a few times before. Now there was actual preparation involved.

The nightstand to the right of the bed had a drawer which Tanaka opened. He withdrew a condom and lubricant and paused to cover himself. Then he smeared the liquid on his hand, rubbing his fingers together.

The sensation was simultaneously alien and familiar. Alien, because Ennoshita had never had anything _in_ him before like this, outside of a medical office. Familiar, because even this part of Ennoshita knew this was Tanaka. It was uncomfortable, of course, but not painful. At least, not yet.

Tanaka kissed him and held him tightly all the while. He locked eyes with Ennoshita and gave him a small smile, likely acknowledging that Ennoshita had done some prep work himself the past few days. Then he pressed one finger to his lips and pressed a second. It took Ennoshita a quick moment to realize Tanaka was asking permission to continue, and he nodded.

Two fingers were _definitely_ uncomfortable, and Ennoshita winced as Tanaka added movement. But it took the brunet longer to get used to two fingers than three, and, by that point, Ennoshita's excitement overcame his nervousness. Half dazed, he could see Tanaka was swollen, too, and it took much willpower for Ennoshita not to reach out and release his lover with his hand instead. So he kissed him, hard and fast and sloppily, and Tanaka lifted Ennoshita by the hips.

It was a shock. Three fingers were _not_ a penis, and Ennoshita's eyes watered from the pain. But Tanaka didn't move until he could see his partner was ready, and even then he took things slowly. Once the initial pain abated, hormones made it seem as if there had been no pain whatsoever, or they at least pushed it to a dark corner of Ennoshita's mind.

And Ennoshita was grateful for that. He wasn't the one who needed the comfort, after all. Still, there in Tanaka's arms, he wondered if it was even about necessity or desire to begin with, because, when connected like this, unable to tell one from the other, to tell beginning from end, the needs or wants of either seemed meaningless, as long as the feeling was mutual.

* * *

"This'll take some getting used to," Ennoshita mumbled into Tanaka's shoulder late Monday morning. They'd taken it easy the night before…in reality, that meant Tanaka had treated him far too gingerly for his liking. It wasn't as if there'd been all _that_ much to clean up and Ennoshita hadn't been injured. So he'd been a little devil and had tortured Tanaka by being the "sexy one" all Sunday. At least Tanaka had gotten the message. Their second time had been rougher.

A low rumble shook Tanaka's shoulder and chest, and he snorted to cover his laughter. "I hope not. Don't ever get used to me, otherwise then I'll be boring." The glee was still evident in his voice.

Like Tanaka, Ennoshita had no faith in the possibility of Tanaka ever becoming boring. He pinched his boyfriend's backside for good measure as he got out of bed. "Aren't you hungry yet?" he asked, switching gears.

"Well…"

"For _food_ , Tanaka," Ennoshita clarified while pulling on his underwear.

Tanaka rolled his eyes. "Spoilsport."

The brunet grabbed Tanaka's gray pullover sweatshirt, too, and donned it. Even though the two men were roughly the same size, Ennoshita kind of swam in it.

Tanaka sat bolt upright. He gave Ennoshita two thumbs up.

"What, only two?"

"I only have two hands!"

Ennoshita laughed on his way down to the kitchen. He rummaged through the fridge while he felt eyes on him. He bent over to "check" the bottom drawers. "And now?" he called.

Tanaka's voice was right beside him. " _Fuck_. A solid ten, babe. Scratch that—a twenty. Tight, light red boxer briefs on you are my fave."

It had been a while, but the businessman genuinely laughed as he straightened up, grabbing a bottle of water. He uncapped it and took a swig as Tanaka wrapped his arms around his waist. There was a buzz. "Is that your phone?"

Tanaka dug it out of his pocket. "Yep. Ah, it's just my sister."

"Answer it. It could be important."

"It's all right. I can take it later," Tanaka assured him. It wasn't a deflection or anything, and Ennoshita could sense as much when Tanaka began nuzzling his ear, foreshadowing them resuming their previous activities.

* * *

The businessman almost made it through his workday without a hassle. _Almost_. But, towards the end of the day, Terushima just _had_ to say Ennoshita looked different. "But I can't put my finger on it…"

Of course this had been said within Sugawara's earshot. The last ten minutes were the most unbearable, then, as Sugawara practically buzzed around Ennoshita's desk, saying nothing but giving his subordinate that terribly gleeful "I know~" expression. But he really kept his mouth shut and simply waved brilliantly as Ennoshita left Ukai Corp.

Tanaka, unsurprisingly, found it hilarious. "Suga-san's…something else altogether," he quipped. He mixed an Oddball Quick and gave it to Ennoshita. "By the way, he might've been quiet today, but get ready. Suga-san has always liked teasing his friends a bit—Daichi-san and Asahi-san always got the worst of it, but that's just because they've known each other the longest."

"Right…" Ennoshita looked around the bar. It was just him, Hinata, and Tsukishima tonight. "Hey, did you call Saeko-san back?"

The bartender rearranged some of the liquors on the shelf behind him. "Yeah. She said to stay open for our regular hours tonight. Said she's got a surprise." He grunted and kneaded a kink out of his neck. "To be honest, when she or Noya-san says they've got a 'surprise,' I develop ulcers…"

"Tanaka, that's over exaggerating…"

"Yoo-hoo! Ryuu~"

Tanaka raised an eyebrow at Ennoshita. "No, it's not."

Saeko came downstairs into the dining area, but she wasn't alone. She was linked at the elbow with Yachi, and two men Ennoshita had never seen before pulled up the rear. Forgoing introductions, Saeko and Yachi marched over to the bar counter. "I have brought reinforcements!" the newlywed told her brother.

"Villager B arrives to save the day!" Yachi added and, while she often appeared full of pep, she sure seemed fired up tonight.

Realization dawned on Tanaka's face. "Yacchan…really?"

"Of course!" She motioned to the two new faces. "Akaashi-san, photos! Futakuchi-san, double-check my numbers, please!"

Akaashi was a very pretty man who was taller than Ennoshita and had an expensive-looking camera hanging around his neck. He moved around The Roost silently, stopping only to tip his head to Tsukishima, who stunningly acknowledged him with a nod of his own.

"Geh, Futakuchi…," Hinata didn't quite mumble as he abruptly paid for his dinner.

The lighter-haired Futakuchi scowled at Hinata. "What do you mean, 'Geh, Futakuchi'?! And where's my honorific?! You never forget Aone's!"

As muffled chaos exploded around him, Ennoshita turned his ear towards Yachi's conversation with the siblings. "…have done for me. It's the least I can do for you guys."

"But, absorbing the cost?" Tanaka shook his head with a frown. "That's too much, Yachi."

She was stubborn. "No, it's _not_. Saeko-san's already signed off on it, and it's my money, so I can do as I please. I'm company president! And I take care of my family. You guys are family," she continued as Saeko hugged her, "and it's because of you guys that I met Kiyo-chan. So, I repeat, it's the least I can do."

"Listen to her, Ryuu," Saeko added, squishing Yachi's face. "Listen to this precious smushy face. Smushy, smush, smush."

"Thaego-than, dat hurrs," Yachi whined. When Saeko let her go, she pressed Tanaka a little further. "Besides, I'm sending for Takinoue-san and Uchizawa-san for some of the work. Everyone benefits, Tanaka-san."

Whatever she meant, that did it. "Who am I to say not to that?" the bartender caved, and the two almost equally-short women literally jumped for joy.

* * *

In the weeks that followed, The Roost had not only a facelift but a complete makeover. The bar stayed open during construction, and customers' curiosity actually helped to give business a little boost.

Things went smoothly, largely in part due to Yachi's planning. Tanaka explained to Ennoshita that Yachi had offered some free marketing for the bar a few times as her company, Black Star Boom!, focused on small firms. But Yachi had started planning on her own about two and a half years ago, when she first sensed The Roost might need help in the future.

Uchizawa Cleaners and Upholstery sent new materials for the booths and chairs and stools, which Nishinoya, who'd previously done work for a construction company, installed. Takinoue Yuusuke came in person to put in a new sound system—Yachi insisted, as the bar needed to be a bit more modern, and that meant music, 'round the clock—but he and Nishinoya also rigged the bar's new neon sign. "The Roost" was now spelt in neon orange script and had black light katakana beneath its English spelling. At least Yachi had kept the falling purple feathers in her new design.

While all this went on, Yachi also got to work on a new ad campaign. Akaashi was also her lead graphic designer, so she had him whip up a few newspaper ads as she and Futakuchi focused on advertising the bar on the street. Therefore, the bar got a bigger menu board for outside, and Yachi suggested occasional promotions…the primary of which would be celebrating The Roost's anniversary each year, starting this year.

Tanaka didn't even care about his own birthday passing, he was that dedicated to this new venture. "I even called in a favor with another, separate friend about the bar's future," he told Ennoshita as they ate in Ennoshita's apartment. It wasn't that Tanaka had been momentarily kicked out of his place during the ongoing construction, but, if they still wanted their weekends to themselves, it made more sense for Tanaka just to crash at Ennoshita's.

"Another friend? I feel as though you have a million left for me to meet," Ennoshita remarked.

Tanaka laughed.

The following weekend was that of the grand reopening, so Tanaka _was_ kicked out that Saturday. But he didn't seem to mind. Monday night, the twelfth, was the night before the reopening, and Tanaka couldn't sleep a wink. Consequently, neither could Ennoshita. It made having to go to work that much harder the next morning.

Ennoshita sat at his desk for most of Tuesday, imagining any number of things after getting a text from Tanaka that simply said "wow." But he wouldn't let Sugawara's or Terushima's curiosity deter him from blowing through his work that day, just so he could be there when the bar opened. He nearly forgot to give them each a new ad for The Roost before he hightailed it out of there.

As he approached the bar's block, his heart pounded in his chest. There was a _line_. A small _line_. In front of The Roost! They'd never had a line before, not that Ennoshita had ever seen since he'd first chanced upon the bar and Tanaka last summer.

He got as close as he could to the door. Saeko was there, keeping it closed until opening, but she lit up when she spied him and let him in. "Chikara! Oh my god, it's fantastic!" She jumped on him and hugged him. "Go see Ryuu before I let the vultures in."

Ennoshita complied, and he hurried downstairs. He crashed into someone wearing a vest and bowtie and an apron…but Tanaka didn't wear an apron. Nor did he have a Mohican. Still, the guy resembled Tanaka a _lot_ , right down to the yakuza glare.

"Oi, who said you could get in?" Mr. Mohican growled.

"That's Ennoshita, Tora," Tanaka scolded, coming up behind him and slapping the back of his head. "Ennoshita, Yamamoto Taketora. Tora, Ennoshita Chikara. Tora's the friend I mentioned—and our new waiter."

The businessman's eyes widened. "New _waiter_?"

Tanaka grinned as he tugged Ennoshita to the bar counter and Yamamoto went to open the doors. "Yup. Awesome, huh? But I think we can manage it. I told him we can't pay him yet, but I have a feeling he'll be official after tonight."

Ennoshita was impressed. Impressed, and happy for Tanaka. "Just…wow."

"Oh, and I realized I never told you," Tanaka added as the bar's quiet music grew to help drown out the incoming din, "but—welcome to The Roost, Ennoshita."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL. So much happened here, I just… I'll keep my comments short, or at least try! I knew something about them getting intimate had to happen in this story, and I'm actually really pleased with how the "smut" turned out, because it didn't really feel like smut? I tried putting some real emotions in there, so…yeah. ;] The Asanoya, as far as Ennotana knows, is kind of in limbo after the events of "Glass Shards," but I'll come back to them, promise. The stuff regarding Ukai Corp. and Ennoshita's parents…that's straight up set-up, tbh. But the backstory with Tanaka's parents? Totally came out of nowhere, and I hadn't even planned on the grave visit until Tanaka took us there; however, I think that it turned out well, and I love inserting more of Saeko and Akiteru here. Can't wait for them to have their baby…! :') Daisuga and Kinonari/Narikino…love them so much, especially Kinoshita and Narita. They're actually very good friends for Ennoshita. XD I guess I'll just mention that a bunch of the charries who appeared at the end here—we'll see them again. In fact, very soon: Tsukishima appears in "Constant" and Yamamoto appears in "Stray Cats," both separate, standalone oneshots that can be read on their own but follow the events of this, the 5th Ennotana fic. In addition, Saekiteru get some love in their own little story, "Brown Gold Eyes," so please check that out, too, if you enjoyed this~! Lastly, the song for "Closing"? "[Madly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STzwpDCH6iU)" by Clazziquai, but also "[Paralyzed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdPupUIncgc)" by the Mystery Skulls (kinda for the sexy scene ;P). *As of this cross-posting to AO3, also please see ch8 of my fic collection, Nice Receive, as the untitled Kinonari there is set in the BoaF universe & also comes after Ennotana 5! :)
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, and PLEASE review! Ennotana 6, "Opportunity," is up next!
> 
> -mew! :}


	6. Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Opportunity." Ennoshita once liked the word, but now…with everyone telling him to look on the bright side…he thinks, with a heavy heart, how much he hates it. .::established!EnnoTana::.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic: "Opportunity"
> 
> Characters: Ennoshita/Tanaka, Sugawara, Karasuno, etc.
> 
> Rating: T
> 
> Words: 24,233  
> \-----  
> I had to move some of my closing A/N up here! But I promise nothing spoils anything, so read as you please! :D
> 
> GAH. As my tumblr followers know, this story has been complete for over a year, but it's taken me all this time just to write the 10 side stories that are associated with it and to type everything up. Just on this batch of stories alone, I've killed another 9 gel pens (meaning 15 total, to date…holy crap), and I filled 2 and 5/6 notebooks, too. I just… There was a lot to write. XD This story alone was 99 handwritten notebook pages, and this batch of stories totals 504 full, handwritten notebook pages…fuck. O_O
> 
> So, instead of my usual commentary, I'll be noting a few things in my closing A/N that people might not understand, and I ask that you hit me up for questions or whatever in a review on FFN, in a comment on AO3, or in an ask on tumblr ([le-amewzing](http://le-amewzing.tumblr.com/) is me! & anon or not—either's fine). (There's also official art done by me on the [tumblr BoaF page](http://le-amewzing.tumblr.com/birds-of-a-feather-au), so come visit that, too! :3c That's why this story now has an official [cover](http://le-amewzing.tumblr.com/post/159473198613/because-of-course-hed-be-back-x-have-some). XD)
> 
> Much goes on in the background of this story, so these are the 10 side stories in the order in which I believe they should be read after this chapter (if anyone wants to read all, but I'm fine if ya pick & choose): "Molting" (Tanaka sibs-centric, w/some Saekiteru/Akisae & Ennotana), "Moving Mountains" (Ukatake), "Comfort Seekers" (Matsuwata), "Conscious of You" (Kagehina), "Proximity" (Iwaoi), "The Long Distance Not Between Us" (Narikino/Kinonari), "Luck of the Draw" (Terumisa), "Variable" (Tsukkiyama 2—yeah, I couldn't help writing their 2nd story already, whoops), "Unorthodox" (Komori—Moriyama/Kobori), and "Nostalgia" (Ukai Sr.-centric…& that's all I'm saying here, *lol*).
> 
> See you at the end of the chapter! ;3

"Mm…stop that," Ennoshita scolded his bedmate late on a Monday morning. He reached behind him and swatted at the hand at his backside until it went away…only to return, but this time it rested on his left hip.

"Don't be cruel," Tanaka mumbled into his pillow, and he tightened his hold on his lover. "It's a perfect morning. You, me, the right amount of warmth in late spring…" He raised his head a little and placed his nose in the crook of Ennoshita's neck, kissing the skin just below there. "Better yet, it's Monday, so we have no place to be except here."

The childish sincerity of Tanaka's words forced a giggle up into Ennoshita's throat, but the brunet did his best not to release it. He knew better by now. Laughing at the inopportune moment had gotten him in trouble with Tanaka before, and—really—he was sick of all the misunderstandings. And there'd been quite a few. But, by the end of the summer, he would have known Tanaka for a year and have dated him for almost as long, and the sense of accomplishment and rush of excitement was something to which Ennoshita wanted to hold on.

Still, nothing was ever achieved by lying around in bed all day.

"We have no obligations," Ennoshita conceded as he slowly sat up, careful not to remove Tanaka's arms from his waist and just to rearrange them instead, "but we spent Sunday in. Why not go out somewhere today?"

Tanaka sighed and let his arms fall away while Ennoshita reached for Tanaka's gray pullover sweatshirt and tugged it on. Ennoshita could feel Tanaka's eyes on him as he threw the blanket off his legs and got up. "…sorry. What were we talking about?"

"Tanaka! You've got to stop going slack-jawed every time you ogle me in the morning." Good grief! What a thing to scold your boyfriend over. Ennoshita didn't know whether to shake his head at Tanaka or to laugh.

"Then you'll have to stop wearing that light red pair of undies," the shaven-haired man stated nonchalantly. He, too, got up, but he seemed happy to remain just in his sleep pants. In fact, he shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned when he stood to face Ennoshita. "Although we'd have a different set of circumstances altogether if you stopped wearing underwear, period."

Ennoshita groaned and rolled his eyes. "You're twenty-seven, not seventeen, Tanaka," he said, and they left the loft space of Tanaka's apartment to go down into Tanaka's kitchen. " _Try_ , at least, to keep your hormones in check."

"No promises, babe," Tanaka said. He punctuated that with a kiss to Ennoshita's left cheek as he passed him on the stairs and set about the kitchen, figuring what to make them for breakfast.

Ennoshita gave in to a moment of hypocrisy and let his eyes linger on the defined muscles of Tanaka's back and arms. He definitely could believe that years of grueling volleyball practice had helped him develop that way, if one went by the stories told by the members of Karasuno High's volleyball club.

It was something else, he thought, turning to the living room and dropping into the beanbag chair on the floor as Tanaka got cooking. Ennoshita would call it fate, if he really believed in that kind of thing. To have gone to the same high school… To have liked the same sport… To have crossed paths only now, as adults… If only Ennoshita and his two best friends, Narita and Kinoshita, had overcome their fear of what practice would've been like and just joined the volleyball club. Then Ennoshita would've met Tanaka sooner, and maybe they would've fallen for each other sooner and already have had all those years under their belts.

Tanaka started whistling in the kitchen, interrupting Ennoshita's train of thought. …no, meeting Tanaka at this stage in their lives? Ennoshita wouldn't have traded that for anything in the world.

The brunet turned the TV on and let his mind wander back around to a previous thought. He hadn't known Ukai Ikkei had been the coach for the volleyball club when he'd been in high school, but that kind of made him doubly glad now, that he hadn't joined the club. Working for the old man in his company, Ukai Corporation, had stressed Ennoshita out well enough over the past several years…but at least Ennoshita was getting the hang of being a Marketing supervisor. It helped, too, to come home to The Roost, the bar which Tanaka's sister owned and Tanaka managed, most nights, if not for a great drink then at least for an extra moment spent with his lover.

Ennoshita paused, the laughter at a ridiculous commercial caught in his chest as his brain backpedaled to a phrase he'd just brazenly and nonchalantly used:

" _Come home_ "? Uh-oh.

Not that he thought living with Tanaka was a bad idea. And Narita and Kinoshita still enjoyed teasing Ennoshita by calling The Roost his new home.

…ah. That had to be it. He'd just grown so comfy around The Roost and Tanaka's apartment upstairs from the bar. He was letting his friends' teasing get to him.

Yet his heart was beating a bit faster just at the mere fantasy of living here with the bartender.

Ennoshita looked over to the other man right as Tanaka turned around, a plate in each hand. "I've got omelets!" the shaven-haired man announced. "Hey! Why are you snickering like that?"

"It's nothing, honest," the businessman insisted, and he got up to get his food from his boyfriend. He turned back around to return to his spot in front of the television. "So, breakfast and TV—then what?"

"Uh, maybe shopping. Ennoshita, you've got a hole in your underwear."

"What?" The brunet patted his rump with his free hand.

"Don't mind me…but it's, uh, here," Tanaka said, and he poked a spot right below Ennoshita's right cheek.

Ennoshita swallowed a surprised yelp and swatted Tanaka's hand away for the second time that morning. "Gee, thanks for pointing it out, literally."

Tanaka rolled his eyes and yanked him down beside him on the couch. "It was the fastest way I knew. But don't worry about it. As I said, we can go shopping after."

"Yeah, but…" Ennoshita pursed his lips.

"What?"

"I kind of think of them like…my lucky underwear…" The businessman sighed. "You really like this pair on me…"

Tanaka frowned. "A hole in _lucky_ underwear? Yeah, that's not good… But a hole's just a hole, and I'm sure you can replace them." He winked at Ennoshita. "I'm flattered you're taking my taste into account, though. Any idea where you got them?"

"…the department store where Kinoshita works."

"Oh, crap. Neither of us is going to live this down."

That was for sure.

* * *

And they were correct. Ennoshita and Tanaka had gone to the store and hadn't managed to avoid Kinoshita's attention, so the blond had assisted them, cracking jokes the whole time about how the hole might've gotten there in the first place. In the end, they couldn't find the exact same product, so Ennoshita bought some other boxer briefs just so they could escape Kinoshita's tormenting sooner rather than later.

As the week progressed, though, Ennoshita forgot about the small incident, especially since his work didn't give him the time to check the store again. "All of these have to be checked? Every single one?" he asked his boss, Sugawara.

Karasuno's former volleyball vice-captain growled at the printed list on his desk—a copy of which he'd just handed to Ennoshita. "Yes, every single one," he confirmed. He glanced up at Ennoshita. "At least, that's what Daichi says. He says his department's missing some info from each of these projects. I mean, it's not as though we ever hold anything back from Production, but…" He crossed his arms on his desk and cupped his mouth in his palm, brow furrowed. "It's weird."

"But it can't be helped if we just need to give them the information again," Ennoshita said, hoping Sugawara might lighten up if he saw that Ennoshita wasn't particularly worried.

"…I suppose." Sugawara pushed his sandy-colored hair behind his ears and glanced again between the list and Ennoshita. "Seven open projects… We have our work cut out for us."

Ennoshita frowned, remembering that tomorrow was Thursday. "You're off tomorrow," he thought aloud.

Sugawara nodded, and the fretful crease between his thick eyebrows deepened. "Maybe I should come in just this once…"

"No," Ennoshita insisted.

"But—"

The brunet shook his head. He knew Sugawara and Sawamura had chosen Thursdays off as their extra day off as outlined in the supervisor benefits, and Ennoshita understood the importance of that time spent together. It was why he had chosen Mondays as his day off in addition to the company-wide Sunday—The Roost was closed Sundays and Mondays, so he had the same makeshift weekend Tanaka had. Such days off were especially important, too, as they were one tradeoff for working this week, during Golden Week, unlike taking off, as many other companies did.

Sugawara sighed, and he looked really apologetic. "Ennoshita, this isn't why I wanted you to take the promotion," the Marketing manager clarified.

"I know. I won't do this by myself. We can see what we can get done tonight, and then I'll ask Terushima—"

Sugawara made a face.

"—or I'll ask Moriyama-san for assistance." Ennoshita released a low breath. "Is Terushima still getting on your nerves, Sugawara-san?"

"No… He's been treading lightly since the email catastrophe. And Ryugazaki in I.T. did an excellent job recovering the lost files. I just…" He pulled another face. "Sometimes I wonder why Terushima even works at Ukai Corp."

Ennoshita smiled. "If that's your line of thinking… I recall you once telling me that you and I are similarly unremarkable. So why are _we_ here, too, Sugawara-san?"

"Good point. I just wish you weren't using my own words against me."

"Only when necessary, Sugawara-san."

* * *

When Ennoshita clopped down the stairs Thursday night, lively music from the bar filled his ears and lifted his mood some—but his heart sank when he saw how packed it was.

He internally scolded himself. That was a horrible way to react. The Roost had suffered a long drought until undergoing renovations just under two months ago, and now things were better for the bar than they ever had been in Ennoshita's memory. Yet he felt a pang of jealousy at not having a seat at the bar counter.

"Ah, Ennoshita-san!" Yamamoto tucked a tray under his arm and trotted over to the customer. "Welcome! Tanaka's got a short break coming in a few minutes."

"Oh, really? Then I don't mind waiting."

The waiter cocked his head to one side. "Waiting?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Nah, your usual spot's open," he said, briefly pointing.

Ennoshita, too, peeked around him. The first stool had just opened up, and Tanaka turned their way. He did a double-take when he noticed Ennoshita, but he gestured grandly to the corner seat.

"You know the way," Yamamoto stated, but Ennoshita barely heard him as he sped to the spot and the waiter got back on track.

"Hey," the businessman sighed. It felt good to be sitting again, even if he _had_ been sitting for most of the day and the train ride from work to here was short and didn't give him long to stretch his legs.

"The usual?" Tanaka asked, but he already had the tumbler shaking over his shoulder. A moment later, he slid one Oddball Quick over to Ennoshita.

The latter sipped at it. "I'm relieved. I confess, I didn't see a free seat at first and worried."

"Yeah, things really are great," Tanaka confirmed. He paused to cash two clients out. Then he returned to Ennoshita. "I'm beginning to think we might need to hire another person."

Ennoshita raised his eyebrows. That was big news. The Roost had not gone back to its initial Tuesday-through-Sunday schedule, partially to afford Nishinoya becoming the cook fulltime and then partially to allow for Yamamoto's paycheck. But no one had seemed to mind the shortened week, and the idea that now they might hire someone else? "Let me guess—you have yet another friend you can call out of the woodworks?" he teased the bartender.

Tanaka shrugged. "I have one or two in mind. But we'll see." He grinned. "At least you're no longer scared of Tora," he added with a laugh.

"I was never _scared_ of Yamamoto," Ennoshita corrected, leaning forward on the counter and giving his boyfriend a little glare. "But you don't often find yourself on the receiving end of a stare-down from a guy with a Mohican. It was intimidating and alarming, that first time, when he thought I'd barged my way in on the night of the grand reopening."

Tanaka nodded, but a smirk lingered at the ends of his lips. "How was your day?" he asked, pausing to lean behind the counter and put his face right in Ennoshita's.

Ennoshita wanted to steal a kiss then and there, but he behaved. "Long. Sorry I didn't come by the other night."

"It's fine. You said in your texts that you're undergoing some review process?"

The businessman frowned and waited until Tanaka cashed out the customer beside him before he gave Tanaka the summary. "We're through two projects now and have located everything so far."

"So? Isn't that a good thing?"

"Tanaka!" Yamamoto called from the floor. He tapped his wristwatch, but Tanaka waved him off.

Ennoshita looked between them. "Oh, right. Your break."

Tanaka shook his head, but he at least drank a glass of water himself. "I'm good now," he assured the brunet with wink.

"All right. But I shouldn't get any messages from Noya about you being exhausted," the businessman playfully admonished. His smile faded. "And, to answer your question—it is and isn't a good thing."

The bartender made a confused face. "Huh?"

Ennoshita sighed and thought back to how he'd assured Sugawara yesterday. "Well, we're finding everything that was missing, but we have no idea why it would have vanished in the first place. It's weird," he finished, echoing his boss's sentiments.

"But nothing's foolproof, even in today's technological age," Tanaka pointed out. "Backed-up data can be lost. Hard-copy data can be destroyed in a flood or in a fire…"

"Not helping."

"What I mean is, it's not your fault. It's not Suga-san's fault, either. Hell, it might not be anyone's fault." Tanaka gave him an empathetic look, and Ennoshita was reminded of just how comforting he found those tawny eyes. "So your nose is to the grind right now. Cheer up, Ennoshita. The weekend's not far away. And—"

"Yeah?"

Tanaka heaved a sigh that bordered on a groan. "Sis's birthday is Saturday, but she wants to have a lot of people over, now that she and Akiteru-san are fully moved in, so there's a party Sunday." He flicked his eyes to the businessman. "And you're invited."

Ennoshita smiled a bit. Saeko had accepted him so quickly into The Roost's little and ever-growing family, and she'd even insisted Tanaka bring him as his date to her and Akiteru-san's wedding last fall. Basically, Saeko had begun to think of Ennoshita as a permanent fixture in her brother's life and in, by extension, hers, as well. So there was no telling Tsukishima Saeko "no." "I'd be happy to go. Do you have any suggestions for gifts?"

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'm sure she'll be plenty happy seeing you there."

"Tanaka, you don't go to a party without a gift."

"Maybe _you_ don't, but I have. It works. The best gift is me!" And they both laughed at that, vividly recalling how Tanaka had done just that in December, sticking a bow on his head and telling Ennoshita that he was Ennoshita's gift. And, really, there hadn't been a better gift.

* * *

"Maybe we should have done this another night," Narita stated at the udon shop near his and Kinoshita's apartment a couple of night later. He loosened the top button of his shirt as he dropped into the seat opposite Ennoshita and adjacent to Kinoshita.

"Way to look like death warmed over, Kazu," Kinoshita snickered lightly, but he pecked his lover's right temple and settled back down.

"I don't want to hear about Tanaka and me and PDA ever again," Ennoshita quipped when Narita tiredly and sloppily kissed Kinoshita's left cheek. "Really. The worst he and I do is maybe sending each other big doe eyes."

Kinoshita laughed and playfully slapped Ennoshita's arm. "Do as your elders say, Ennoshita, not as they do."

"I'm older than you!"

Narita chuckled at the two of them and drank some of the beer they'd ordered him. "So, did you end up finding something nice for Saeko-san?"

Ennoshita nodded. "I couldn't get out of work on time to look myself, so I had Kinoshita send me pictures from the accessory section and settled for a gold cuff that I think fits her image and has no loose elements."

Narita raised an eyebrow.

"Baby-proof," Kinoshita elaborated.

"Ah."

Ennoshita watched as Narita downed the rest of his drink—unusual for him this early into their weekly meal. "Uh, bad day?"

"Long one," Narita replied. He motioned to the waitress for a refill—also unusual for him. "Juggling some things at work while my parents keep heckling me."

"Your parents?" The brunet blinked in surprise, and he saw out of the corner of his eye that Kinoshita scrunched up his nose. Then Ennoshita blinked, and Kinoshita's expression was neutral. "Are they well?"

Perhaps it was a trick of the restaurant's lighting, but Ennoshita glimpsed Narita's eyes flashing to Kinoshita's before he answered. "They're fine."

"Then why—?"

Narita gave him a tight smile. "Just parents being parents."

The waitress brought Narita's second beer, and Kinoshita changed the subject after, to some drama he'd binge-watched and of which Ennoshita had seen, at best, three episodes. But, the whole time, Ennoshita couldn't shake the feeling that Narita had not only not told the whole story but maybe even had lied outright. Worse yet, Kinoshita gave no indication that he'd fill Ennoshita in at a later time. However, Ennoshita tried telling himself that he'd imagined tonight's oddness when he parted from the couple and they headed home, joined at the hand and at the hip. The duo had always been some harmony in his life, and he was foolish to think they might prove him wrong now.

* * *

"They probably had a spat," Tanaka decided the next afternoon. They were on a train to Saeko and Akiteru-san's neighborhood and had thirty minutes to kill from The Roost to there. Naturally, Ennoshita had voiced his worries to Tanaka for most of the trip—although, Ennoshita wondered if he'd always done that because Tanaka was a good listener as a boyfriend, as a bartender, or as both.

"I guess," Ennoshita acquiesced, staring up at the lights in the carriage's ceiling. "I think I'm so used to them telling me everything."

He saw Tanaka cock his head to one side in his peripheral vision. "Really, Ennoshita? You three have known each other since, what?"

"I've known them since sixth grade. They were classmates before then, but we pretty much befriended each other around the same time."

"Okay. And they got together when?"

"Our third year of high school. They told me after graduation."

"Right. So they've been together since then."

"Yes."

Tanaka sighed. He had this "What am I going to do with a chronic worrier like you?" look on his face. "Don't you think they're entitled to some secrets? I've met them several times now and have hung out with them—with the three of you. And none of you is the type who wants to air his dirty laundry in front of others." He threw his arm around Ennoshita's shoulders for good measure. "Even if they aren't fine right now, they will be. Kinoshita will pout until Narita gives in or Narita will act like a beaten puppy until Kinoshita lets bygones be bygones."

The businessman took some comfort in his lover's words as well as from the arm around him. Tanaka truly was good company to have.

The train lurched then, and there was a loud _thunk_ before the vehicle settled on the tracks and slowly got moving again.

Luckily, Ennoshita hadn't left his seat. Tanaka had reacted instinctively, and that arm around Ennoshita had tightened and kept him in place.

"Jeez!" the bartender snarled, looking in the general direction of the conductor's car. "I could do with getting to Sis's place in one piece."

Ennoshita nodded in agreement and leaned in to Tanaka. So, comfort as well as safety in Tanaka's arms—Tanaka really was more than just good company.

They arrived not long after, and Tanaka led Ennoshita by the hand up the stairs from the platform. It was a two-minute walk out to the street that led to a more suburban area, and Ennoshita was a tad surprised.

"The houses are bigger than I thought they'd be," the brunet remarked after they crossed the road.

"Some of them are, but they get smaller and are packed more closely together around Sis's house." They went for another two blocks before Tanaka pointed to a tiny, cream-colored house that seemed out of place even amongst similar-sized buildings.

Nevertheless, the place no doubt belonged to Saeko and Akiteru-san. The couple could hear some music coming from inside, but it was Nishinoya who answered the door when Tanaka knocked.

"Ryuu! Chikara!" the cook practically shouted. He had two plastic leis—one pink, one purple—around his neck and…

"Is that paint on your cheek?" Ennoshita asked as they followed him inside. He and Tanaka kicked off their shoes and changed into the spare slippers right inside the door.

But Nishinoya didn't hear him as he scampered into the living room and a song blasted from the speakers.

" _Woo_ , _woo_!"

Music filled the tiny space, and Ennoshita winced and took in the sight. A very pregnant Saeko had a microphone in her hands and was singing along to a vibrant tune emerging from a karaoke system in the corner of the living room by the TV. Akiteru-san was cheering his wife on from the couch, as was Yamaguchi, Akiteru-san's younger brother's friend. Speaking of which… Tsukishima was sending his brother a dirty look from the kitchen, no doubt for encouraging such behavior.

Ennoshita laughed at that and shouted to Tanaka over the music. "Does Tsukishima ever have any fun?"

Tanaka grinned. "Once. It didn't agree with him!"

In addition to those four, Hinata and Kageyama were also present. Hinata was dancing around vigorously along with Saeko's vocals, swinging his head and blue lei around, but Kageyama was nearer to Tsukishima in the kitchen so he could shovel snacks in until he distinctly looked like an angry hamster. There were two more people, too: a woman Ennoshita thought he might have seen at Saeko and Akiteru-san's wedding, and Ikejiri, from Production at work.

Ikejiri noticed him and waved, but then he and the woman got up and joined Ennoshita by the mouth of the living room. "Ennoshita!" the freckled man exclaimed. "You know Saeko-san, too?"

"In a way," he blustered, and Tanaka overheard and snickered before wandering off with Nishinoya, leaving Ennoshita by himself.

"Oh! Let me introduce you." Ikejiri gestured to the woman with him, as if going "ta-dah!" "This is my wife, Yui."

"Nice to meet you," Ennoshita said with a quick bow of his head. It felt a little odd, since he'd known of her from before, too. It hadn't been all that long ago when Sawamura and Sugawara had said to Ennoshita that Ikejiri had married Michimiya from Accounts. Though Sawamura hadn't mentioned it explicitly, Ennoshita had inferred that he and Ikejiri were best friends, since Sawamura claimed to have been Ikejiri's best man as well as his and Michimiya's son's godfather. But this _was_ the first time he'd met Michimiya, since he never had the occasion to visit the accounts department.

"Are you enjoying working more closely with Sugawara these days?" Ikejiri asked, pulling Ennoshita's attention back to him.

Ennoshita internally sighed. Sugawara had been priming him to be the Marketing supervisor right up until Ennoshita had quit—briefly—last summer, but it turned out not to be such a bad position. Besides, everyone was happier if Sugawara got his way. "It's fine," the brunet finally replied.

A smile bloomed on Ikejiri's face. "I heard from Sawamura, you know. And I know Sugawara. He runs around like a chicken with his head cut off sometimes." His wife giggled at that, too.

"And what about Sawamura-san?" Ennoshita raised his eyebrows, because he knew the Production manager had been gunning for Ikejiri to be his supervisor.

"Yeah, I finally told him 'yes.'" He took his wife's hand, interlacing their fingers. "We've got a one-year-old son, and Yui's only back at work part-time, so it made sense."

Michimiya produced her phone from her pocket. "Do you want to see? I probably don't have as many pictures of Daisuke as Hayato has, though," she commented, and she and Ennoshita both chuckled.

"Oi! Chikara!" Nishinoya called from the stairs. He waved at him to come up.

"Another time," Ennoshita assured the dark-haired woman, and he excused himself to follow Nishinoya.

"You really should see it in person," the tiny man proclaimed.

Upstairs, there were three doors, and one of the two adjacent ones was cracked open. Nishinoya pushed it open the rest of the way to reveal the nursery, and Tanaka waved over his shoulder since his back was turned to them at the changing station.

"Ah, practicing again, Ryuu?" the cook asked, grinning.

Tanaka turned around and held up a life-size baby doll. "Practice makes perfect," he said, waving the doll around. "I'm gonna be the best uncle this kid has ever seen!"

"So long as you remember which is the doll and which is the baby," Ennoshita pointed out, taking the doll from Tanaka and putting it down on the changing table before it went flying. Then he got a good look at the room. "Akiteru-san did the painting?" he asked the other two.

Tanaka nodded and ran his fingers briefly along one pale orange wall. "Yep. He did a good job." He shifted his gaze to the crib, and his nostrils flared proudly. "However, _that's_ the star of the show."

Ennoshita had to agree. The crib itself was nothing special, just one of those kits bought at the store and to be assembled at home. But this one had been personalized. In two long afternoons, Nishinoya had put the crib together and painted little crows on the legs…crow versions of the Tanaka–Tsukishima family and the rest of the crow family from The Roost. The Yamaguchi crow even had a few freckles.

Inside, on the headboard, Nishinoya had painted Crow Saeko and Crow Akiteru-san. Below, in lieu of pillows, were assorted stuff animals—again, crow versions of family.

"That's right… I still haven't finished the Kageyama one," the businessman recalled, pinching the bridge of his nose, wincing as his fingers remembered being stuck with a needle half a dozen times.

Nishinoya waved his worries off. "It's fine, Chikara. We've got Shouyou, Ryuu, and the Tsukishima brothers done. I'm almost done with Yacchan, Ryuu's got Saeko-nee-san, and Asahi-san texted me this morning that he finished the Kiyoko-san. There are just a few more after that."

Ennoshita exchanged a look with Tanaka, who shrugged. A few more? Ennoshita hoped he wouldn't bleed to death before then. Still…the plushies were a nice touch, as was the mobile which Nishinoya had roped them and Azumane into making, as well. Although painting plastic moons, stars, and suns gold had been far easier than cutting patterns into black felt squares, Ennoshita thought.

"Speaking of Asahi-san," Tanaka started. He gave his best friend a skeptical look. "You _are_ seeing him for more than just coffee or making stuffed animals, right?"

Nishinoya stuck his tongue out at the two of them. "Of course! Thanks to the second chance which Chikara made possible, Asahi-san and I are back on track. We're fine and taking it slow and—"

"'And'?"

"And that's all you're getting," Karasuno's former libero finished with a laugh. But he gave them a small smile. "Seriously. We're good. We're _really_ good." He clapped his hands then, startling his friends in the quiet nursery. "Now, come on! I wanted to show you the fruits of our labor, but there's still a party going on. Let's get back to it!"

He didn't give them the chance to protest, as he turned them around and shoved them out, dogging their heels downstairs. But Ennoshita didn't begrudge him it. There really was a lot to celebrate, and the laughter and merriment was well-deserved after all that had happened with the bar several months back.

Saeko enjoyed all her gifts, which were around half baby-specific, half bought with her in mind. Most of all, she appeared happiest that everyone had turned up, and she groaned after Ikejiri and Michimiya left, and Kageyama and Hinata were on their way out the door. "No…! Everyone, _stay_ …!"

"I would, but I have to get to the kindergarten early in the morning, Saeko-san," Hinata informed her, "and Kageyama has morning practice."

"Besides, we don't exactly have the room, Saeko," Akiteru-san said, and he waved to Kageyama and Hinata once Saeko finally released the latter from a hug.

Saeko turned her pout on her brother then, and on Ennoshita, too. But Tanaka shook his head before she could even ask, and he reached for Ennoshita's hand and led the businessman to the front door. "At least Kei's not abandoning us…!" was the last thing Ennoshita heard her holler before Tanaka pulled the door shut behind them, as well as possibly a yelp from Yamaguchi.

"I think they offered the guestroom to Tsukishima," Tanaka said as they wended their way back to the station.

"There's a guestroom? Ennoshita asked. The second floor was tiny, from what he'd seen. Where was there room for a guestroom?

"Yeah, on the first floor, on the other side of the bathroom."

They crossed the street before Ennoshita voiced his next question. "They didn't invite you to come live with them?" He peeked at Tanaka's profile, trying to read the bartender.

Tanaka glanced at him and smiled. "No, and I'd turn them down even if they did. Thing is, it's a bit of a hike from the bar. And, while leaving for work might not be a problem, returning in the middle of the night after closing down would be, even if Sis weren't expecting. Besides, I like my place." He swung their hands between them for half a block, eliciting a laugh from his lover.

"Yeah, me, too. I like it, too." Ennoshita shared in his smile, all the while relishing the fluttery feeling from last week at all this talk of Tanaka…and of home.

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, Ennoshita was feeling pretty good. His department had two of the projects left to check, and Sugawara seemed to be returning to his previous opinion of Terushima, that the blond was just a distracted slacker and not a serious pain in the ass.

The brunet even knocked on the door joining his office with his boss's. When he wasn't turned away, he cracked it open and stuck his head in. "Sugawara-san? I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch—" He stopped short when three pairs of eyes met his.

"Ah, Ennoshita. Maybe later." Yet the tight smile on the sandy-haired man's face wasn't promising.

The same could be said of the concerned expressions on Azumane's and Shimizu's faces. The Operations manager acknowledged Ennoshita with the world's subtlest bow of her head before affixing Sugawara with that rather unnerving, Shimizu stare of hers. On the other hand, the Distributions manager gave Ennoshita a little wave and a wan smile as equally unconvincing as Sugawara's. Then he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked more uncomfortable than he had last November before reconciling with Nishinoya.

Sugawara cleared his throat, bringing Ennoshita's attention back to him. He motioned to the door.

"Right! Sorry!" Ennoshita hastily closed it without hesitation, and only once it was shut did he hear the low murmur of their voices as they resumed conversation.

Trying to put the scene out of his mind—because Azumane and Shimizu rarely came to Ukai Corp. headquarters—Ennoshita left his office and went out onto the floor, heading for Terushima's desk. He thought to ask the blond to join him for lunch since he'd turned Terushima's invitations down so often before.

Terushima wasn't alone either, however. Moriyama was leaning against his desk, and the two stopped talking when they saw Ennoshita coming. That made the businessman slow to a halt and furrow his brow. "…okay, now I'm beginning to think it's me."

"Huh?" the other two asked in unison.

Ennoshita jabbed his thumb over his shoulder with a frown. "Sugawara-san. Azumane-san and Shimizu-san are in there with him, and they looked like deer in the headlights when I accidentally interrupted."

Moriyama raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'm not surprised. They came marching down the hallway five, ten minutes ago and have been in there ever since. Seems pretty serious."

The brunet looked between his two subordinates. "Then what were you two talking about?"

Moriyama smiled. "Those three, of course," he replied unabashedly. He looked at Terushima. "And how Terushima thinks he's out of lucky stars to wish on."

"I'm tellin' you! They didn't fire me before, but they are now!" the blond moaned. He let his head fall cheek first against his desk, narrowly missing his keyboard because Moriyama slid it out of the way.

"Unless you've done something else that merits it, I'd say you're safe, Terushima," Ennoshita insisted.

Terushima gave the both of them big, wet, brown doe eyes.

Moriyama sighed and crossed his ankles, still leaning against Terushima's desk and facing the direction of Sugawara's office. "I think he's safe, too," the dark-haired man agreed.

"But?" Ennoshita prompted.

"But…I happen to be friends with the I.T. manager," Moriyama explained, dropping his voice low. He kept his narrow eyes on Sugawara's door but turned towards Ennoshita as he continued. "And I heard that something's not quite right with our systems."

Ennoshita's ears perked up. "In what way?"

Moriyama pulled a face. "He wouldn't say. They're still working on it."

The brunet frowned.

"But it probably has something to do with why we've been reviewing these projects, what with the missing data."

At that, Ennoshita's hackles went up. He'd become accustomed to Narita and Kinoshita, and Tanaka these days, always telling him that he overthought things and worried too much. Now he wished he could believe them.

As if summoned by such thoughts, the trio of managers emerged from Sugawara's office. Shimizu exchanged another word with her colleagues, and then she left for the stairs. Azumane waited a moment longer, and Sugawara came up to Ennoshita. He passed a paper packet to him. "Ennoshita, I need you to check these, as well."

"These…?" Ennoshita asked, but he took the packet and skimmed the front page—and realized it was another list. A much longer list. He looked up at Sugawara. "Sugawara-san—"

"Gather everyone up and get to work. I have to go to a meeting," the sandy-haired man stated. His beauty mark moved when his left eye twitched, catching Azumane motioning for him in his peripheral vision. He glanced back at Ennoshita and took a breath, for a moment just his plain, old, stressed self. He smiled, even, and it was as though he'd just shared a joke to make Ennoshita and Sawamura groan. "I'll be back later." He tipped his head to the three men, and he joined back up with Azumane after. They took the same exit Shimizu had.

Ennoshita frowned, but Terushima voiced what they were all thinking: "That can't be good."

Both Ennoshita and Moriyama shot him a look for voicing the obvious. Moriyama stood up straight, though, and held his hand out for the packet Sugawara had just imparted. "A working lunch, I suppose?" the taller man suggested. He raised his eyebrows again.

Ennoshita scanned the list. Nine projects on the first page. Ten on the next. Eight on the third and six on the fourth and last. He grimaced and passed the list to Moriyama, and Terushima got up to read over the other's shoulder. "Working lunch," Ennoshita confirmed, "and maybe working supper, too, for a few days."

At least, he hoped it would only be a few days.

* * *

Sugawara slipped in and out of his office without Ennoshita noticing, but he emailed Ennoshita once he was on his way. After getting the message late that same evening, Ennoshita had called it a night and told Terushima, Moriyama, and the other dozen or so Marketing employees to go home for the night. It didn't make sense to keep them well into the night. Better that everyone go home, rest, and be primed for tomorrow, because they certainly had their work cut out for them.

Exhausted, the businessman went straight home. He heated up for dinner some frozen leftovers from the last time Tanaka had been over, and he ate while mindlessly flipping through TV channels. Nothing took, so he turned the TV off, finished eating, took a quick shower, and crashed on his bed.

Of course, as luck would have it, sleep wouldn't come easily.

He groaned and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling in the dark. He'd never dealt with this before, being unable to shut his mind off before bed. What to do?

The brunet looked around him. He didn't have the energy to get up, but… Eventually, he blindly groped for his phone on the nightstand. Once the stinging in his eyes went away after looking at the too-bright screen, he sent Tanaka a message. Tanaka responded after a minute:

_-'Course I can talk. We're pulling up on the drinks-only part of the night, so I can let Tora take over for a sec._

Ennoshita blinked in surprise at his phone.

_-Yamamoto can mix drinks now?_

_-Just the basics. Hold on._

Ennoshita waited. He propped himself up so that he sat up in bed, and Tanaka returned once Ennoshita was comfy.

_-You sure you don't want me to call?_

Ennoshita smiled. Tanaka really was sweet.

_-No. Too tired for that._

_-Not surprised. You sounded tired when you said earlier that you weren't gonna stop by._

_-But I texted you. How can I sound tired in a text?_

_-It's my Ennoshita-sense kicking in. B)_

The businessman chuckled. Of course the ever-cocky Tanaka would say that.

_-And my Ennoshita-sense tells me that you're smiling right now. :D I'm right, aren't I?_

Ennoshita laughed, more so when Tanaka sent him a selfie in which the bartender was waggling his eyebrows.

_-I am, and it's because of you._

_-So we'll see you 'round The Roost tomorrow?_

The smile on Ennoshita's face faded. His thumbs moved slowly as he replied.

_-Not sure._

_-?_

_-Something's…wrong at work._

_-Does it have to do w/what you mentioned before, you and Suga-san?_

_-Yes._

It felt like a while before Tanaka sent his next message:

_-Whatever it is, I'm sure you can handle it. It might even work itself out. Whatever happens, whatever crap hits the fan, you'll find some way to manage it._

Ennoshita paused. He pursed his lips, rereading Tanaka's words.

_-You have a lot of faith in me…_

_-I just believe in what I see, and I've seen you pull through tougher things before. Does quitting and getting your job back ring a bell?_

The businessman sighed wryly, finding it hard to argue with his boyfriend's logic. Still—

_-"Crap hits the fan?" Really?_

_-I can censor my language when I want! XP!_

Ennoshita found it in himself to laugh again, and a yawn followed shortly after. So he bid Tanaka goodnight, put his phone back on his nightstand, and nodded off… When the alarm went off, his wired sense of dread returned, but he summoned to mind the iota of calm Tanaka had brought him last night, and he held on to it on the train ride in and as he entered the office building.

Things seemed like normal on the fourth floor. Moriyama had moved to occupy what had been Ennoshita's desk beside Terushima, and he and the blond were spread out. They were moving paper files around and passing them around amongst the other Marketing employees after checking against electronic records.

"What time did you get in?" Ennoshita asked them on the way to his office.

"Half an hour before you," Moriyama supplied. "We're wrapping up number four, but the way."

"And so far?"

"We've been able to locate everything, like last time," Terushima answered, and he sighed dramatically and rolled his shoulders.

Ennoshita nodded to them. "Let me drop my things in my office, and I'll come right back."

Terushima gave him a thumb's up in response.

Ennoshita swung into his office, dropped his briefcase in the free chair on the other side of his desk, and tapped his keyboard, bringing the monitor to life. While it booted, he ran his hands over his face and sank into his chair. He sifted his fingers through the cup of pens he kept out for others to use—his personal, favorite ones were stowed away in his desk—and then reached for his Newton's cradle. He picked up the rightmost marble and released it, watching as it did its thing and sent the other marbles swinging on their respective strings. He watched for a few seconds, allowing himself to be mesmerized until noises in the office next to his broke his concentration.

He got up and knocked, his manners coming instinctively, and then he entered. "Sugawara-san?"

Sugawara glanced up from a file he was reading and gave Ennoshita yesterday's tight smile. "Ennoshita. Good morning."

Ennoshita looked at him with concern. "Good morning… Ah, aren't you not supposed to be in today? It's Thursday."

"Emergency meeting," the former setter replied.

If he hadn't been alert before, Ennoshita was fully awake now. "Emergency?"

Sugawara opened his mouth, but he shut it two seconds later. His pale brown eyes said it all: "I'd tell you not to worry if I could." Instead, he cleared his throat, saying, "I will let you know as soon as I can, Ennoshita."

Someone knocked on Sugawara's main door, and Shimizu popped her head in. She, too, had files tucked in her arms. "Sugawara-kun. It's time."

Sugawara nodded. He eyed Ennoshita, putting on his best "Mother knows best" look. "Honest. I need you to hold down the fort here."

Ennoshita frowned, but he didn't have anything else to offer. He returned to his office, checked his email quickly, and got back on the floor to help the others.

It was as Terushima said. They worked slowly and steadily down the list, locating everything. Their paper trail proved especially useful in tracking down the digital counterparts, but primarily it felt repetitive. The tediousness got to Ennoshita, and he had to take a break late in the morning to give his eyes a rest. He told the others to do the same, but only Terushima wholeheartedly listened. Moriyama was too focused on the task at hand to listen, so Ennoshita rolled his eyes and gave up, meandering towards the break room on their floor, on the far side from his and Sugawara's offices.

"Ikejiri-san?" he yipped in surprise when he saw a familiar silhouette standing in the light of the open fridge.

Ikejiri turned around and laughed at himself, closing the fridge behind him. "Hey, Ennoshita."

"What brings you up here? Production's on the second floor."

"We ran out of creamer downstairs, so I thought I'd come borrow some from you guys."

Ennoshita raised his eyebrows and walked to the coffee pot. He poured himself a cup while Ikejiri watched. "'Borrow'? You can't exactly return what you use."

"True, true…" Ikejiri grabbed his mug from the counter and poured much more than a serving of creamer into the dark liquid. "Hey, do you Marketing guys avoid your break room? There's always one or two people in the one in Production."

"Oh, that… No, we're just busy with the project reviewing." Ennoshita sipped his coffee and turned slowly to his right to better face his companion. "…how are things in your department?"

"Crazy. Sawamura got called away to some meeting—twice. Yesterday and again today."

"Really? The same with Sugawara-san." Ennoshita stroked his chin. "I wonder if all the department managers were summoned."

"Well, I told you how my wife's only back part-time from her maternity leave, right? Yui's working today, and she messaged me that her boss, Izuki, also left."

"So Accounts, too? Huh." The businessman made a face into his coffee cup. His reflection stared back looking exactly as confident as he felt—which he wasn't.

"Sawamura doesn't appear that worried, for what it's worth," Ikejiri stated, bumping his shoulder with Ennoshita's so the latter would look at him.

"But what if he's really just good at hiding it?"

Ikejiri smiled slightly and swirled his coffee around. "Yeah…that occurred to me, too."

Both men sighed.

"Hey," the freckled man said, perking up and putting his drink down. He took out his phone. "We never did show you pictures of Daisuke. Here, let me pull some up!" He made a few swipes on his screen, and then a little boy's face filled up the screen. Daisuke looked so much like Michimiya, although he had Ikejiri's pink complexion.

"He has his mother's smile," Ennoshita commented.

Ikejiri grinned broadly, reminding Ennoshita a tad of Sawamura and Sugawara. "He does. With any luck, he won't—"

"Ennoshita!"

Ennoshita and Ikejiri startled at the sudden sound of Moriyama's voice. "Moriyama-san? What—"

But the dark-haired older man was grimacing, and he sped towards his boss. He passed Ennoshita a paper—one of those summary letters that got tucked away with each file for quick, at-a-glance referencing. "It's incomplete."

"What?"

"The first file that we can't reconcile."

Ennoshita's stomach churned nervously. " _What_?" he repeated dumbly, his voice raspy. It was as if he hadn't drunk anything for days.

Moriyama merely nodded, and Ennoshita and Ikejiri followed him out of the break room. "I thought I'd misread a line, but no. We've all been checking the source file—Terushima's triple-checking—but no luck so far."

Ennoshita spoke to Ikejiri over his shoulder. "Once we have the project number, you should head back to your department, Ikejiri-san, and start checking things on your end."

Ikejiri grabbed Ennoshita's shoulder. "Take this," he said, giving Ennoshita his card. "In case I'm downstairs and we need to check another right away."

Ennoshita nodded and pocketed the card.

Terushima jotted down the project number when they returned to the floor, and Ikejiri left. Ennoshita ordered the Marketing department to split up into teams to check the other files. They could be more thorough later. Right now, everything needed to be checked until the point where anything seemed amiss.

Lunch was ordered in, but most everyone was too busy to eat. As the hours passed, two more projects were problematic, and Ennoshita had no idea why. He thought about interrupting whatever top-level executive meeting Sugawara had disappeared into…if only he knew where it was. Probably upstairs on the president's floor, but Ennoshita didn't know for sure. Besides, he knew Sugawara would want a final count of issues, and the only way to take care of that was to persevere and continue.

When his phone buzzed after a supper made from lunch's leftovers, Ennoshita didn't notice at first.

"Ennoshita, your butt's buzzing," Terushima oh-so-helpfully pointed out.

The brunet's cheeks flushed, but he stepped into his office to take the call. It was Tanaka.

"I take it you didn't see my text?" the bartender asked.

Ennoshita ran his free hand over his face and peeked at the home screen on his phone. "No, sorry," he mumbled, fighting a yawn.

"Bad day?"

"I don't think that even begins to describe things." He paused. "So far, I feel ankle-deep in shit."

Tanaka whistled lowly on his end. "Mild-mannered Ennoshita, swearing? Hell's frozen over."

The brunet's shoulders sagged. "I like you, Tanaka…but bite me," he groused.

Tanaka laughed. "Just tell me where."

Ennoshita couldn't fight his smile at that.

"Sounds as though you'll go straight home again tonight."

The businessman said nothing.

"I figured. Work hard, but not too hard, babe."

The endearment cheered him a little, and he didn't feel as tired. "I miss you," he said quietly.

"Ditto," Tanaka said.

They ended the call there, and Ennoshita was glad not to have said "goodnight" yet. His night wasn't yet over, and he wanted the last thing he did before bed to be texting Tanaka silly, lovey-dovey things, not thinking about how the Marketing department—and Ukai Corp. overall—seemed to be going to hell in a handbasket.

* * *

The next couple of days found Ennoshita impossibly more drained. He texted Narita and Kinoshita Friday as well as Saturday, apologizing for not having the time for them. Only Narita confirmed receipt of Ennoshita's messages, but the businessman pushed his concerns over his best friends to the back of his mind. Unfortunately, work had to take precedence.

They were still slogging through the recent list and had found fault with two more files, and Ennoshita feared that number could only go up from there. Sugawara said nothing about it, but he grew more apprehensive each time Ennoshita brought him up to speed and each time Ennoshita had to text Ikejiri another file number.

By the time Sunday rolled in, Ennoshita couldn't even get up. He slept in and would've stayed in bed if not for his stomach grumbling angrily at him.

"All right, all right…," he murmured with a sigh, and he literally rolled out of bed and traipsed towards his kitchenette.

His plans changed, though, when his doorbell rang. After a glimpse through the peephole, he let his unexpected guest in. "'Morning!" Tanaka announced. "Ah, well, 'afternoon."

"You stinker. It's not _that_ late," Ennoshita mumbled with a playful slap to Tanaka's arm. Then he held his arms open so Tanaka could scoop him up in a giant hug. "Whoa," he gasped when Tanaka even picked him up off the ground.

"Sorry," the bartender said as he put Ennoshita down. "It's just good to see you." He brushed a bit of hair behind Ennoshita's left ear and scrutinized his face. Then he cupped his lover's head and kissed him.

Ennoshita felt as though life was being breathed back into him, and his toes curled happily while he squeezed Tanaka tighter. Once the kiss ended, he was grinning as broadly as the bartender. "Good to see you, too," he agreed with a laugh.

Tanaka held up a plastic bag which Ennoshita hadn't noticed. "I brought the makings for breakfast. Why don't you go shower," he suggested, turning Ennoshita around and patting his bum in the direction of the bathroom, "while I whip something up?"

Ennoshita wanted to protest…but, frankly, the offer was too tempting. He let himself be ushered away, and Tanaka left him alone once the bathroom door was shut.

He showered quickly and soaked for several minutes, letting the fog delightfully muddle his mind. After, he went into his bedroom and donned a fresh pair of summer pajamas since Tanaka had said nothing about going out…and he wasn't sure he wanted to even if Tanaka brought it up…and then he padded out into the living room, drying his hair the rest of the way while watching Tanaka work his culinary magic.

Tanaka's sleeves were rolled up at his elbows—a favorite sight of Ennoshita's—and he'd draped his light denim vest on the back of the couch while he cooked.

"I can hear you staring," the shaven-haired man announced, spooking his lover.

"As if you really mind," Ennoshita retorted. He stepped into the kitchenette and sniffed. His eyes followed his sense of smell to the counter on Tanaka's right, where two bowls, two plates, and two sets of chopsticks were laid out. What's more was that the dishes were filled already. "What's all this?"

"A scaled-down version of a traditional Japanese breakfast, complete with cracked egg over rice. And, since I know you like fish more than I do, that is sautéed mackerel in a special sauce the ingredients of which I have been sworn to secrecy by Tora."

Ennoshita smirked playfully when he knew Tanaka could see him out of the corner of his eye. "Yamamoto shared a recipe with you?"

"Yep."

"I'm beginning to wonder if The Roost is turning into a theme restaurant. Punks who are domesticated."

"You say that like a joke, but theme restaurants are really popular and do really well." Tanaka finished the fish and added it to their plates, giving Ennoshita the lion's share, the brunet noted. He went to pass Ennoshita his food and stopped when he saw the towel. He motioned for Ennoshita to come closer, and then he tousled the rest of his boyfriend's hair dry, albeit a little roughly.

"Hey! I'm not a dog!"

"I know." Tanaka punctuated his reply with a kiss to Ennoshita's nose, and he laughed when he got swatted in the arm for the second time that morning.

They ate in the living room like usual since Ennoshita lacked dining space. They kept the TV off and chatted. Well, mostly Tanaka talked. He told Ennoshita about Tsukishima and Yamaguchi having a fight and eating silent dinners; about Fukunaga, Yamamoto's significant other, coming by more often; and that Kinoshita had been by the bar a couple of times on his own for drinks.

"I tried getting him to say whether he and Narita were fighting, but Kinoshita's actually pretty good at being tightlipped."

"Yeah…" Ennoshita nodded and chewed on his last bite of mackerel. He knew Kinoshita could be stubborn about things he _really_ didn't want to discuss, and he sighed, doubting he could coax the truth from the blond either.

"…how are _you_ holding up?" Tanaka asked after an odd beat.

Ennoshita surveyed the face on his left. Tanaka's eyebrows were almost knitted it together in obvious concern. His light grayish–brown eyes were clear and locked on Ennoshita, and his lips were set in such a straight line that he was nearly frowning. With a shock, Ennoshita realized he hadn't seen Tanaka's yakuza-esque glare in a _very_ long time; no, he'd mostly been witnessing Tanaka's warm, cheerful countenance or this fretful one. "I'm holding," he admitted, leaning his forehead against Tanaka's. He pecked his lips, too, since they'd both finished eating.

Tanaka hooked a hand around Ennoshita's neck, keeping their foreheads together. "Y'know, I've always been close to my family, and Noya-san and Hinata and them cause me worry from time to time…" He released a slow breath—and that yakuza glare made its appearance. "But you make me wonder if there's a limit to how much I'm supposed to care for a single person."

Ennoshita laughed—at the yakuza look, at Tanaka's roundabout way of confessing how crazy Ennoshita drove him, at the butterflies happily flitting about in his stomach at Tanaka's romantic words—and kissed him again.

The bartender growled at that, but his glare faded. He kissed Ennoshita back, working his tongue into the other man's mouth and not breaking until Ennoshita released a moan that couldn't be contained.

"Oh, for crying out loud… We just ate," the businessman pointed out uselessly as Tanaka put their dishes on the coffee table and grabbed Ennoshita by the wrist, hauling him off the couch.

"So we can eat some mints," Tanaka said, not even grunting when he surprised Ennoshita and picked up the brunet in his arms.

"Tanaka…!" Ennoshita laughed the whole way he was carried princess-style to his bed.

* * *

It arrived in his inbox early Monday morning.

"Early" was normal for Ennoshita—six AM—and was heinous in Tanaka's book. So heinous, in fact, that Ennoshita reached blindly behind him for his phone and kept his head on Tanaka's bare chest to placate the gruff man.

He flipped it open, and the blue light indicating a new message stopped blinking. With bleary eyes, he pressed the few buttons that would take him to his email. It was a forwarded message from Sugawara.

"What is it?" Tanaka asked. He sounded groggy, and he rubbed his eyes with one hand. The other he brought up across Ennoshita's bare shoulder blades and used to rub Ennoshita's upper arm.

Ennoshita picked his head up as he read the email. "That's weird."

"What?"

"There's a company-wide meeting on Wednesday."

"Plenty of companies have those. How's this weird?" the bartender queried. He brought Ennoshita's head back down so the latter's chin wasn't digging into his sternum.

"Sorry," Ennoshita apologized, rubbing the sore spot. "And I agree that it's something expected at other companies. But Ukai Corp. has never had one."

"Never?"

"Not in my memory, and I'll have been there for five years at the end of next month." He tapped his phone against his lips, thinking. Ultimately, he closed it and put it behind him on the mattress.

Tanaka ran his free hand over his face and scooched up so that they both sat up some in bed. "But…why on a Wednesday?"

Ennoshita shrugged. "I guess most people—I mean, the supervisors and higher-ups—don't take Wednesday off." He sighed, and Tanaka pressed a kiss to his head. "I guess I'll just have to wait and see."

And that was the hard part. Tanaka couldn't stay long on Monday, since he was still trying to teach Yamamoto more of the drink menu, so Ennoshita occupied himself by sifting through notes on project ideas in his briefcase and reading more of a book he'd bought a few weeks ago.

Tuesday, too, dragged on. Sugawara said nothing about Wednesday save for that he had, indeed, forwarded Ennoshita that email. So Ennoshita carried on as usual, and they found another three project files riddled with holes. It was a grim note on which to end the workday.

Spirits were somber if not low come Wednesday morning. Ennoshita got in at his usual time, as did everyone else in his department. Two hours into the workday, however, it was time to head downstairs to Production, which had the studios and therefore the open floor space for the employees to gather, though it was standing room only.

From beside Sugawara, Ennoshita caught a glimpse of a podium that had been arranged at one end of the room. Ennoshita turned to ask his boss about it, but Sugawara had left his side already. Ennoshita looked around until he spied Sugawara and Sawamura standing off to the left of the assembled crowd, and Ikejiri and Michimiya joined them.

"I would feel better if there were free food," Terushima decided, coming up on Ennoshita's right. Moriyama joined them, as well, and he nodded along with Terushima's words.

Ennoshita opened his mouth…but the words "It can't be that bad" died in his throat. Instead, he tried giving his coworkers his most reassuring look, even though he knew he, himself, wouldn't buy it.

The low din in the room disappeared when Shimizu and Ukai Ikkei, their president, approached the podium. Shimizu placed some paper on the stand and then motioned for the old man to approach. He did, and he rested his hands on either side of the lectern. He looked around for something, and Shimizu approached him, pointing to a small microphone attached to his beige suit jacket. She adjusted it, and there was a short, high-pitched whine signaling the device was working properly. Then she stepped back for the second time, and Ukai cleared his throat.

"Ah, let's see…" Ukai scratched his left ear and exhaled. "I think I'll get right to the point: I've got good news and bad news."

Ennoshita felt a sudden chill in the room. Beside him, Terushima looked green and Moriyama looked impossibly paler.

"First… It's been a long time coming." Ukai gave them a grandfather's grin—short and tired-looking. "I've wanted to retire for a while. This industry—it's not an old man's game anymore." He raised his hand to quiet the murmurs in the room. "Now, you know I wouldn't leave you in the lurch. I've been training my replacement for ages, in many ways."

Ennoshita inspected Shimizu's face, but the Operations manager gave no hint that she was Ukai's successor. Despite Sugawara's and the others' teasing, she was Ukai's vice-president in all but name.

"So now I'd like to introduce my grandson, Ukai Keishin." Ukai Sr. gestured, and a man older than Ennoshita entered the spotlight from stage left.

The murmurs returned while hundreds of pairs of eyes had a gander at the newcomer. He was taller than his grandfather, with light brown hair that might have been bleached at some point. He was lanky, too, but he carried a hint of Ukai Sr.'s confidence, and he had all of his grandfather's facial features, certainly the president's shrewd gaze. He bowed his head to the crowd.

Ukai Sr. cleared his throat again. "Keishin here has a good head on his shoulders, and you'll need that in the time to come." He grimaced until the room quieted down. "A few months ago…our company was hacked."

Dead silence. Acknowledging that, the president continued.

"What seemed like a small intrusion has become a worse problem. I'll have our I.T. manager give you a quick run-down. Kobori."

He nodded to someone at the front of the crowd, and a very tall man went up to the podium. Shimizu had a second microphone, which she pinned to his shirt's breast pocket. He nodded to everyone. "Uh, yes. I'm Kobori, from I.T. Someone infiltrated our system a little while back. While we kicked them out, they left some presents behind."

Some people started talking. A couple shouted some things Ennoshita couldn't discern.

Kobori raised his hands to calm them down, and Ennoshita thought he saw Moriyama roll his eyes at his friend's futile gesture. "Please, please listen! No one's personal data has been compromised, and our finances are safe. That information is stored on a separate system, so that can't be breached. However, some work data is missing and there are false statistics that some departments have been working with, so…" He winced as some raised their voices, and he gladly handed things back to the president.

"What this means is that there are going to be some changes around here," Ukai Sr. continued, grabbing the room's attention once more. "And that means…there will be some involuntary transitions in the near future."

"'Involuntary transitions'? What the hell are those?" Terushima asked, glancing between Moriyama and Ennoshita.

"He's talking about forced downsizing. People are going to be laid off," Ennoshita explained, and he couldn't blame Moriyama for crossing his arms defensively in front of his chest as their former company president did something uncharacteristic and bowed his head in apology to his employees who'd helped him build this company from the ground up.

* * *

He didn't tell anyone for the first few days. It was still too much of a shocker. Everyone was stunned, and the work pace dropped. By Saturday, Ennoshita and the others finished going through the questionable files. Between the first seven Sugawara had had him study and the packet, nine out of a total forty projects were problematic. But, by the end of the day, they still didn't know why those specific projects had been targeted.

Moriyama was more agitated than worried. He said he didn't like that Kobori hadn't told him before the big announcement, but Ennoshita suggested that maybe Kobori hadn't been allowed. Still, Moriyama remained annoyed with his friend.

Seeing that, Sugawara apologized to Ennoshita. "I wanted to tell you," the sandy-haired man said, "but they kept it need-to-know, managers-only."

Ennoshita shut his computer down and closed his briefcase. He contemplated his boss's sorry expression over his monitor. "No, I understand."

"Good." Sugawara remained in the doorway between their offices. "Then drinks are on me and Daichi tonight."

"What?" The brunet observed him skeptically and didn't know what to make of Sugawara coming and linking their elbows so that he could drag Ennoshita away. "Sugawara-san—"

"No 'buts,'" Sugawara said. "I already called ahead and told Tanaka to expect us."

Ennoshita shot him a glare. "I haven't told him about it yet."

"And neither did I! I just said the three of us were coming. And Shimizu-chan and Yacchan. Asahi, too. I invited Ikejiri and Michimiya, too, but it's probably too late in the evening for them."

"Not to mention they don't know how I know The Roost," the brunet added irritably while he waited for Sugawara to lock up his office.

"Oh, they know. Michimiya guessed it at Saeko-san's birthday party, she said," Sugawara rushed when Ennoshita paled.

Ennoshita heaved an exasperated sigh and wondered if he'd ever get used to being swept away by his boss's whims.

They met Sawamura outside the building and rode the train over together. Ennoshita checked his phone and debated contacting Narita and Kinoshita, but he decided against it. For one, he didn't want to add to their stress. In addition, he didn't want to abuse Sugawara and Sawamura's hospitality.

When he spied the neon sign outside the bar, there was a fond pang in his heart. It had been too long since he'd been by.

Interestingly enough, there was a handwritten sign taped to the door. It read "CLOSED – Private party" in handwriting he didn't recognize as either Tanaka's or Nishinoya's, so Ennoshita supposed it was Yamamoto's. And the "private party" in question consisted of the usual crowd: Tanaka, Nishinoya, Azumane, Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, Shimizu, and Yachi. Yamamoto was there but sweeping up, and Akiteru-san was without Saeko and so sat with his younger brother and Yamaguchi. But two other familiar faces sat at the bar counter, one in Ennoshita's usual spot at the end and the other in one seat over from the first.

Ennoshita rushed them, consciously ignoring the empty seat between them. "You guys—! How did you…?" Ennoshita hugged Kinoshita and squeezed Narita's shoulder.

"Tanaka said we should come," Kinoshita said, picking up his phone and dropping it back on the counter beside his glass.

"So we came, for you," Narita added. He took in the other faces in the restaurant. "You sure we're not interrupting anything?"

"For the umpteenth time, you're _not_ ," Tanaka insisted, sliding an Oddball Quick over to Ennoshita. He mixed up drinks for Sugawara and Sawamura, too.

Ennoshita smiled his thanks as well as he could under the various circumstances. He placed his bag on the empty stool between his best friends and sat on the other side of Narita since Kinoshita occupied the end seat. "I'm surprised by Hinata and the others, though."

"Well, Suga-san mentioned just the Ukai Corp. bunch, but Hinata didn't want to leave when he heard pretty much everyone was coming by." The bartender shrugged and passed the beverages to Yamamoto for delivery. He frowned at Ennoshita. "Does this have anything to do with why I've barely heard from you since the middle of the week?"

Ennoshita went to reply, but Sugawara cleared his throat and tapped a fork against his glass. The clinking filled the venue, and Ennoshita realized Tanaka had turned off the music tonight.

"Hey, everyone," Sugawara started. "I just wanted to say that…it's nice to enjoy time spent with friends from the past, especially when the future looks so unclear. Also, we might lose our jobs, so drinks are on Daichi and me." And then he dropped into his seat between Sawamura and Shimizu.

Nishinoya spat out his drink on Azumane, Hinata did so on Kageyama, and Akiteru-san on Yamaguchi. While Yamamoto fetched extra napkins, Kinoshita and Narita watched the scene in surprise, and Tsukishima, too, eyed things with quiet curiosity.

But Tanaka gaped at Ennoshita openly. " _What the hell_?!"

"Yeah… We were hacked, and that's led to other issues," Ennoshita stated, suddenly very interested in swirling the ice in his glass around.

"What kind of hack?" Narita asked. "Trojan horse? Worm? Remote access?"

Ennoshita shrugged and looked at Sugawara, Sawamura, Shimizu, and Azumane. They all shook their heads, but Sawamura stared at Narita curiously. "Narita, you're a computer guy?"

Narita's cheeks flushed slightly at the sudden attention of everyone in the joint, but he nodded. "Yes… I work on the servers at a tech start-up, but my boss is more interested in cyber security…"

Sawamura and Shimizu exchanged an interested look, and then Sawamura turned back to Narita. "I can't make any promises, but I'd be willing to bet our I.T. section would welcome the extra help right now. Do you have a card?"

Narita produced one, and Ennoshita passed the Nine Lives Net business card to Sawamura. "Are we that understaffed in I.T.?" Ennoshita asked.

Shimizu made a "so-so" gesture with her hand. "Not understaffed, but different areas of expertise," she said. Yachi frowned at her on her other side, but Shimizu smiled as if telling her girlfriend not to worry.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Kinoshita asked Ennoshita, his brow furrowed. He genuinely was hurt.

"I…" Ennoshita sighed, at a loss for words.

"There's still a lot we're figuring out, Kinoshita," Sugawara interjected. "It's a lot for us to absorb, too, you know."

Kinoshita frowned but nodded.

"So…what now?" Nishinoya asked.

Azumane ran a hand through his hair. "See how the coming weeks play out."

Except for the sound of melting ice clinking in glasses, silence dominated the bar. But whether it was silent agreement or a doubtful silence… Ennoshita didn't know.

* * *

News broke nationwide about Ukai Corp. changing hands over the next couple of days. For now, there was only chatter on some news channels and in some newspapers, about the "real story" going on at one of Japan's largest sporting goods companies, that of the hack. But no Ukai Corp. representatives confirmed anything, much to the media's chagrin.

Ennoshita, meanwhile, tried putting Sugawara's lighthearted comment about them losing their jobs out of his mind. He hadn't thought it as being a possibility…then again, he hadn't thought the company would find itself in such a mess, either.

Sugawara tried brightening the mood. "You're not going to lose your job," he assured Ennoshita as they ate lunch with Sawamura in Sugawara's office the week after the announcement.

"How can you be so sure?" Ennoshita asked. "You sang a different tune last week."

"That's because we hadn't spoken with Coach Ukai more, and we hadn't spoken with Ukai-san at all yet."

The businessman quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh," Sawamura exclaimed. "Suga and Asahi and the others—we've been distinguishing the Ukais by calling the grandfather 'coach' again since that was how we first knew him. So, Coach Ukai is the former president and Ukai-san is the new one."

Sugawara pointed at his better half. "Although, didn't Natsu say that Ukai-san began coaching the boys' volleyball team after Hinata and the other first years graduated?"

Sawamura nodded while Ennoshita grew more confused at the introduction of yet _another_ name. "Hinata's little sister," the Production manager explained. "Picture a tinier, more petite Hinata, with pigtails."

Ennoshita sighed and rubbed his temples. He was getting a headache. "Back to our discussion… Why are you two so certain now that I'm safe?"

"Not just you," Sugawara corrected. "Us, too. All managerial positions are guaranteed."

Now Ennoshita felt uncomfortable for a different reason. "That seems unfair somehow," he commented, thinking of Terushima and Moriyama.

"It's because everyone in those positions has worked from the bottom rung up," Sawamura said. "No one's an outside hire. It's the company's way of appreciating us."

Ennoshita took a small bite of his sandwich and let it dissolve on his tongue. He stared at the bread, feeling the couple's eyes on him, but he couldn't look at them when he spoke next. "If no one's an outside hire…then how do you explain Ukai-san?"

Neither of them had a response for that.

After lunch, Ennoshita resumed the work from before. They were going into detail now to see how much each project was missing, so it was back to the tedious work for Ennoshita and the rest.

Sugawara called for Terushima as the day drew to a close, and both Ennoshita and Moriyama rubbed their eyes, taking a break with their companion's absence.

"It's probably a good stopping point for tonight," Ennoshita stated, checking his watch.

"You don't need to tell me twice." Moriyama stood and checked his watch, too. "Ah… I'm actually running late for my dinner plans." He raised his eyebrows at his boss. "Can you and Terushima…?"

Ennoshita waved him on. "We can pack up. Go on. See you tomorrow."

The man with the olive–black hair smiled his thanks and nodded before heading out.

Several minutes passed, so Ennoshita wrapped up on his own. He was a bit frustrated with Terushima, leaving this all to him, but it wasn't that difficult for a lone person to handle.

Ennoshita put all the files back in their right places and returned to Terushima's desk. The blond still hadn't come back. Curious, Ennoshita knocked on Sugawara's door.

No answer.

Ennoshita peeked at the floor and saw no light coming from under the door. Wait…so Sugawara had gone for the night, too? The brunet frowned at that, but there wasn't anything for him to do, so he went into his own office to grab his bag, not even bothering to turn on the light, instead leaving his door open and letting the light from the floor pour in. He was just slipping back into his suit jacket when someone knocked on the door.

"Terushima?" Ennoshita squinted since the person was backlit, but the silhouette with the styled hair and hunched shoulders told Ennoshita it was Terushima.

Terushima stood still for a moment. The next second, he was bowing at a perfect, ninety-degree angle. "Thank you very much for everything!"

The smile on Ennoshita's face slid right off. "I…what…?"

Terushima straightened up and sniffled. He wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Sorry. I disappeared to the bathroom to cry and thought I got it all out…" He sniffled again for good measure.

Ennoshita abandoned his bag on his desk and took a step towards the other man. "So, when Sugawara-san needed to see you…"

"I'm the first one," Terushima filled in with a wet laugh. "There will be others, likelier in other departments, Sugawara-san said, but…I'm lucky I was only let go."

The brunet's frown deepened. He looked around his office and hated how all he had was his chair and the one on the other side of the desk. He glanced around the rest of the room until he made a decision. Then he sat on the floor behind his desk, with his back to the wall, and patted the free space beside him.

Terushima stared at him, stunned and maybe seeing him in a new light. Then he joined Ennoshita, drawing his knees up to his chest.

"What happened?" Ennoshita prompted.

"If this place were any other company, I'd be fired," Terushima mumbled. He sighed. "Sugawara-san said…my carelessness is to blame for the hack. They figured their way in after my email fiasco. My computer got a virus, and it weakened our firewalls, and…" He sighed again. "And I know I'm to blame if this company goes down."

Ennoshita pursed his lips. He glanced at the blond's forlorn profile, knowing he'd never seen the bubbly guy so distraught. So he opened his bottom left desk drawer and removed a lightning ball from the depths, a toy he plugged in whenever he'd needed to turn his mind off for a while.

Terushima's chuckle was so light, it was barely more than a breath. "Wouldja look at that… Ennoshita, you're a fun guy."

"I have my moments."

Terushima's golden brown eyes flicked to him. "And I guess I have mine. Sugawara-san said they weighed my work against this issue and decided firing me wasn't the right option. I can get a lot done when I'm on task, and the email mishap was a one-time mistake."

They watched the blue–violet arms of light stretch and sway inside the plastic globe for a minute.

"So…I guess I'm lucky. Although the timing could've been better."

Ennoshita's shoulders sagged. He hated that he didn't know what words of comfort to give Terushima right now.

For a while longer, they remained on the floor, side by side and watching the lightning ball. Ennoshita thought about the time Terushima had started at the company, a year after him, and how Sugawara had asked Ennoshita to show him the ropes. Terushima had been over-friendly from the start, but that was part of his charm. Even the times when Terushima had tried setting Ennoshita up on a blind date, Ennoshita thought of them with a smile, and Terushima's wishes for double dates were oddly endearing.

"What will you do now?" the brunet inquired when Terushima stretched and indicated he was ready to go.

"No clue," Terushima replied. "Hana-chan's still got a job here in the city, but I'm not sure we can afford our place on just her salary. A week before her birthday, too…" He shook his head and stood.

Ennoshita joined him. "You're a good man, Terushima, and definitely one of the luckiest ones I know." He held out his hand. "You were my first friend here, and I'm glad I got to know you."

Terushima's eyes widened, and, for a second, he looked as though he were going to gape at Ennoshita. Then his face morphed with a giant Terushima smile, and he shook Ennoshita's proffered hand. "Thank you very much for taking care of me." He tipped his head to his superior after and exited the office.

Ennoshita waved at the open, empty doorway. "Thank you very much, too."

* * *

That night, Ennoshita could barely sleep a wink. Sugawara and Sawamura's words kept clashing in his mind with Terushima's farewell, and he reached the worst possible conclusion:

What if he, too, got laid off? He definitely couldn't keep living in his apartment if he lost his job. And if he couldn't live here…where would he go?

Panic welled in his chest and tears pricked the backs of his eyes as he thought about how hard—maybe even _impossible_ —it might become to see Tanaka. Tanaka was here, in the city. He would live and die with The Roost.

Kinoshita and Narita, too. They'd moved in together right after school and had roots planted pretty firmly here. Their trio hadn't been separated since it'd first been formed. There was no telling what would happen to their friendship if one of them were to disappear suddenly.

Everyone else at The Roost, too. Saeko welcomed him as another little brother, and he always enjoyed chatting with Akiteru-san. Nishinoya and Hinata were jovial cheerleaders, and Hinata practically formed a comedy duo with Kageyama. Yamaguchi was a great conversationalist, too, when one got the chance when Tsukishima wasn't joined to the freckled man's hip. Yachi's electric excitement, too, and Shimizu and Azumane and Sugawara and Sawamura by extension…

Ennoshita balled his hands into fists and shoved them against his eyes. He took six calming breaths, counted to five, and then reached for his phone. He checked the clock to make sure and called Tanaka.

"Ennoshita?" the bartender asked, his shock evident in his voice. "It's after two in the morning! I just locked up downstairs."

"I know. That's why I called."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Did you…?"

"Not me," Ennoshita rushed. He took another calming breath. "Not me, but…" He opened his mouth, and everything came pouring out. It was maybe ten, fifteen minutes when he was done.

Tanaka was quiet again. "But…you might be safe, just as Suga-san and Daichi-san said."

"But I might _not_ be!" Ennoshita retorted, his frustration flaring.

"Then we'll make long-distance work for us, if you end up going away somewhere."

"Tanaka…you're my first relationship, you know that. I don't know the first thing about long-distance relationships."

"And neither do I! So that'll be a first for both of us. Our first first."

Ennoshita frowned, even though Tanaka wasn't there to see it. "…how can you be so optimistic?"

"Because every couple's gotta have one, to balance out the pessimist."

"I'm not a pessimist."

"Maybe not, but you're so pragmatic that you give yourself ulcers."

Ennoshita had never had ulcers…but he could see Tanaka's point.

"Now, I know you're going to worry no matter what, but can I at least take your mind off things for a single day?"

"With what?"

"Well, the All Japan Volleyball Tournament was a couple of weeks ago, so we're in the off-season now. But Kageyama's got a practice match on Monday. Regulars versus junior members, and he told me to let him know if I wanted him to put some tickets aside."

The businessman blinked, his mind fret-free. "Wait—he's a professional player?"

Tanaka laughed, and his smile came through in his tone. "I thought I or one of the other guys mentioned it. What did you think Hinata means when he says Kageyama has practice?"

"I guess I thought he played as a volunteer member for some small team…"

"Nope. Kageyama's kind of famous. Of course, so are some of his teammates. You, uh, aren't an Oikawa fan, are you? Ushijima's all right, and Kuroo's…something else."

Ennoshita's eyes bugged out of his head. "Oikawa? And _Ushijima_? They were famous when they were in high school! When _we_ were in high school!"

The bartender laughed again. "Sounds like an Ushijima fan. And a 'yes' to that practice match. You _do_ realize you're dating one of the players who _won_ against Ushijima and Shiratorizawa in the Spring High prelims in Ushijima's final high school match?"

The businessman cleared his throat, his eyes completely dry now. "I… _really_ hope you have video of your high school matches, because I _really_ did not make an effort to watch them even after I decided I wouldn't play back then."

Tanaka snickered. "I'll have to see what Sis and Shimada-san have. Kiyoko-san and Yachi, too." He yawned. "So we've got a date Monday. May I go to bed now?"

Ennoshita chuckled. "You may."

"'Night, babe."

"'Night." Ennoshita put his phone on the nightstand and turned on his side, getting comfortable. He replayed in his head his and Tanaka's conversation just now, and, while his concerns vaguely danced in the back corner of his brain, his worries weren't enough to overshadow the sleepy warmth and comfort Tanaka magically managed to provide him just when he needed it.

* * *

"This feels kinda…pointless," Moriyama said on Saturday afternoon to Ennoshita and Sugawara as they combed more thoroughly through the quarantined files.

"It has to be done, either way," Sugawara said, and he checked something off on a clipboard.

"No, _this_ I get," Moriyama clarified, gesturing to their paperwork. "But the layoffs? Teru—"

"What Kobori said, about the finances being secure? He was right," their boss interrupted, though Ennoshita noticed he'd clenched his jaw at the mention of Terushima. "However, our sales were fucked with, and we've seen some losses, so, no, we can't hang on to everyone right now."

Ennoshita's eyes widened at the expletive from the saintly guy's mouth, and he shook his head at Moriyama to shut up. "In what way?" the brunet asked.

Sugawara sighed and tossed the clipboard on the desk—Terushima's, but they'd been using it from the start to spread out so it seemed weird to change venues now—and he scratched the back of his head. "The hackers got into the system at some of the stores and changed numbers on us, so Shimizu and her people thought they had too many or too few of some products. That got passed along to Asahi, who adjusted distribution as needed. I can't tell you the number, because I don't know it, but the company took a big hit."

Ennoshita regarded him quietly, and he noticed a tiny crease forming between Sugawara's eyebrows. "Who else?"

"Ikejiri's wife, Michimiya, in Accounts."

"What? But they have a toddler!"

"Yes, but she was only back part-time. I think Seo lost two in her department. Engineering and Legal are down one each, as is HR. Mostly we cut our costs at the stores. From what Shimizu said, no stores are closing yet, but now most of them are just this side of being understaffed." Sugawara looked between the two of them and groaned. "I'm going to get some coffee," he muttered, stalking off towards the break room.

"And, on _that_ happy note, I'm taking my lunch now," Moriyama said, and he, too, dashed off.

Ennoshita sighed at the two empty chairs beside him. He was beginning to spend more time out here on the floor than in his office…

His newfound, welcome silence didn't last long, though. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he looked at the screen with a smile, thinking it was Tanaka.

It. Was. Not.

He hit "SEND" and held the device up to his ear. But he didn't know what to expect… He'd been meaning to call for a while… It just kept slipping his mind… What to say…?

In the end, he went with "Hi, Mom."

"Hello, Chikara, and don't you 'Hi, Mom' me," she replied, going from super sweet to razor sharp in 0.6 seconds. "Not that I'm going to have an aneurysm any time soon and suddenly forget how long it's been since we last heard from you, let alone saw you, but what's going on at Ukai Corp.? Your father and I are worried sick. The news is saying Kumo Japan hacked Ukai."

"That's news to me," Ennoshita assured his mother, although he surmised that a big competitor like Kumo Japan or even Emperor Industries would make a good and likely suspect. He filed the notion away to ask Sugawara about later. "And I'm fine."

His mother hemmed and hawed.

"At the moment," he confessed.

She sighed. "Is that all? It's just work that's kept you?"

"I've been incredibly busy." Which was true.

"How are Hisashi-chan and Kazuhito-kun?"

"They're…" Ennoshita stared up at the ceiling. Somehow he couldn't force the word "good" off his tongue. "Busy," he finished. He winced at how unconvincing he sounded.

And his mother knew. "You're busy. They're busy. Anything else you want to tell me?"

Tanaka's toothy grin flashed in his mind's eye, and Ennoshita made a strangled noise. He tried covering it up with a cough.

His mother sighed again. "You're not going to tell me you're too busy to come up and see us, are you?"

"I have Sundays off…"

"So leave tonight. Spend the night here and head back tomorrow night."

Ennoshita pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's a little late for that, but…" He knew he was going to regret this. "I have Mondays off."

"Perfect. You can spend Sunday with us, stay the night, and return Monday evening. You can even bring a friend."

"Bring a…? Mom. Kinoshita and Narita don't have the same schedule as me."

"All right, I give up. But I want to see you tomorrow, Chikara. I love you."

"Love you, too, Mom." The line disconnected.

And Ennoshita was up Shit Creek, without a paddle.

* * *

Thank the gods, Tanaka was as nervous as he was on Sunday morning when Ennoshita showed up at Tanaka's apartment, a small backpack slung over one shoulder, and explained the sudden change of plans.

"I'm sorry about having to miss Kageyama's practice game. I really wanted to go with you," the brunet apologized as Tanaka moved about the loft, buzzing with nervous energy.

The bartender ducked up to the loft space and fiddled around with his bed. "No—don't—don't worry about that." He paused and huffed, calling down, "Kageyama gets a couple of tickets free often, so it didn't cost anyone money or anything." He came back down, now fully dressed, but he still flitted about the apartment.

"I'll make it up to you. I was—okay, _will you stand still for one freaking minute_?!"

Just like that, Tanaka came to a halt in front of his boyfriend.

Ennoshita panted, not used to having an outburst—that tended to be Tanaka's thing. "I… What are you doing?"

Tanaka patted his jeans' pockets and gave Ennoshita a twitchy smile as he guided them to his door. "Isn't it obvious? Your mother said to bring company. Obviously, I'm coming with you."

The brunet gawked at him.

But Tanaka knew him well. He put a couple of things in Ennoshita's backpack and then followed him through the door. As he locked up, he spoke over his shoulder. "And you want me to come with you."

"You're putting words in my mouth. I haven't even told them about you yet."

"Ennoshita." The thuggish man turned around and took his lover's face in his hands, forcing their gazes to meet. "You could've texted. You could've called from the train already, cancelling our plans. But, instead, you came in person, precisely _because_ you haven't told them about me yet."

What he said clicked, but still Ennoshita pouted. "So you're going to meet them without preface?"

"Why else would I dress so nicely in a polo shirt?"

"I do prefer you in t-shirts…"

"Then we're in agreement." Tanaka held his hand out, not pressuring Ennoshita to play along. The choice was all Ennoshita's.

Of course Ennoshita took his hand.

It was a familiar act, going to the station and buying the highway bus tickets. They'd done the same thing, taken the same route months ago to visit Tanaka's parents' graves, and that had been a rather spur-of-the-moment decision, too. At least this time they had a better idea of what to do with the five and a half hours before they arrived in Sendai.

"Before you meet them, I should probably warn you," Ennoshita said once they were settled on the bus.

"What's there to warn me about?"

The brunet eyed him skeptically. "Have you ever had to meet parents?"

Tanaka closed his mouth, suddenly at attention.

"Look, just… I've always considered my relationship to be really good with them. My dad's super nice, and my mom's…got a sharp tongue."

"Is that where you get it from?"

"What do you mean?"

Tanaka raised his eyebrows. "You, uh, have this brutally blunt side of you that comes out sometimes, like letting your inner voice take over."

Ennoshita groaned. "Yeah… Dad said it's from Mom's side…"

"There's nothing wrong with it," Tanaka told him, playing with Ennoshita's fingers on their shared armrest. "So, what else?"

Ennoshita gave it some thought. A lot came to mind, but he didn't think he needed to share all of that right now. "Well… Dad's not a morning person, just like you. He's the head of the nightshift security at a company, so, if we _do_ stay the night, we'll have to be quiet tomorrow during the day, because that's when he sleeps. Mom started working part-time at a bookstore after I left for university, so we don't have to worry about disturbing her." He frowned.

Tanaka eyed him. "…think _we_ might disturb her?"

The businessman knew what he meant. Frankly, he _didn't_ know if they would. He'd always been fairly open with his parents, but things like homosexuality had never come up at the dinner table. However, maybe there was some hope for them. "My parents know about Kinoshita and Narita and have never changed how they treat them," he said at last.

Tanaka nodded, but his grip tightened on Ennoshita's hand. "Okay. But they're not your parents' children."

Ennoshita sank into his bus seat. "I know."

After he texted his mother to inform her that he was on his way…and declined to mention he was not alone, because they were going the whole nine yards with this surprise idea…Ennoshita did his best not to picture all the worst-case scenarios, and he let Tanaka talk his ear off instead about the game they'd be missing tomorrow. Tanaka told him that, while Hinata was good friends with some of Trefuerza's players, Kageyama's home was F.C., and that Ennoshita might catch the stink eye at the bar if he ever had a bad word to say against F.C. "Except for Oikawa," Tanaka amended. "He gets on even his teammates' nerves often enough."

"None of the rest of you dreamed of going pro?"

"Nah. We all loved it and still do. But Kageyama's cut from different cloth. The rest of us…" Tanaka stared out the window. "The senpai are in the corporate world with you. Hinata became a kindergarten teacher. Tsukishima has his research and coaches part-time. Yamaguchi's a nurse. And Noya-san came to work with me."

Ennoshita watched how neutral Tanaka's profile became. "Do you think more of you could've pursued the professional leagues?"

The bartender grimaced very subtly. "Tsukishima, if he'd had the drive. Noya-san, if he hadn't lost heart. Hinata, if he hadn't gotten injured."

"Oh." Ennoshita's mouth hung open. "I didn't know."

Tanaka waved it off. "Not your fault. And it kinda slipped out, in my carelessness. Just—it's kinda the one taboo topic at The Roost, so don't mention it to Kageyama or bring it up around Hinata, unless he mentions it first."

Ennoshita nodded. "I won't tell a soul." His hand was squeezed again, in thanks.

Also like the last time they'd made this trip, the two men dozed part of the way. Ennoshita got the feeling that he slept more than Tanaka in the end, but it made sense, considering how terribly he'd been sleeping in light of his work issues.

They arrived in Sendai in the early afternoon, groggy and stomachs grumbling. They stopped at a stand to buy taiyaki to hold them over, and then they hopped the train to their town.

The town looked more familiar without the snow, and Ennoshita was reminded of that first spring when he'd left. Now, here he was, nearly ten years later, and it felt like a school night.

"Where to?" Tanaka asked, pulling on his lover's hand and pulling him out of his reveries.

Ennoshita blinked. "Oh, uh. The same direction as the cemetery. My road's a little before there."

"Cool, cool." His words contrasted how he felt, as his palm turned clammy against Ennoshita's. Only after they'd gone halfway did he realize he still had a hold of the shorter man's hand. "Sorry!" he yelped, dropping it like a hot potato.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I… Do you want them to see first? Or do you want to tell them first?"

Ennoshita pouted and scrunched up his nose. "We're not even there yet. We've got some time left." He held his hand out and shook it until Tanaka relented. He drew strength from that, and he held on until they turned onto his street and were three houses away.

They approached the Ennoshita family nameplate and paused there to check their appearances. Ennoshita did up all but the first button on Tanaka's soda red polo. Tanaka fixed Ennoshita's hair for him. Ennoshita adjusted his bag's straps on his right shoulder. Then, he went up to the door and rang the doorbell.

The door didn't fly open, as Ennoshita had dreamt. Instead, footsteps approached from the other side, the lock was undone, and Ennoshita's mother greeted them.

"Chikara," she said, a hum in her voice akin to a coo as she yanked on his arms and hugged him. She stepped back, fixed his fringe, kissed his forehead, and turned around, calling, "Takara! Our prodigal son's returned!"

Tanaka stifled his snicker as he followed Ennoshita inside. "I like her," he teased the businessman quietly.

His mother peeked around him, eyeing Tanaka. "Ah. So you _did_ bring a friend."

As his father joined them at that moment, Ennoshita seized the chance. "Mom, Dad, this is Tanaka. Someone I know from the city," he finished lamely, loath to call Tanaka just a "friend."

"Tanaka Ryuunosuke," the bartender introduced. He bowed respectfully to them both and brightened when Ennoshita's father shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ennoshita Takara, and this is my wife, Ennoshita Ai." He smiled warmly, and Ennoshita took comfort in that—more so since his mother was scrutinizing Tanaka the same way she did with book reviews riddled with typos.

"It's been forever since you had a friend with you," his mother stated, her eyes narrowing at Tanaka as she said "friend," but she smiled regardless. "I hope Chikara didn't trouble you, asking you to come out here on a Sunday."

Tanaka shook his head. "No. I have the same days off as Ennoshita."

"That's nice," Ennoshita's father remarked. He seemed oblivious to his wife's quiet curiosity as he motioned them into the living room after they changed into slippers and Ennoshita shed his backpack.

Ennoshita dropped into one of the standalone chairs and jerked his chin at the other one so Tanaka would know where to sit. His parents were bound for the couch, and the businessman predicted correctly when his father sat there. His mother, meanwhile, crossed into the eat-in kitchen.

"Anyone thirsty? I made pink lemonade, Chikara," she called to them.

"Water's fine for me," he answered.

"Tanaka?"

"Lemonade," the bartender replied, looking too comfortable as Ennoshita's dad asked for the same. His demeanor was confusing Ennoshita.

"Where do you work, Tanaka?" his father asked as his mother passed out drinks.

"I run my sister's bar and bartend there."

"A fellow night owl. Cheers!" the older man exclaimed, clinking his glass with Tanaka's. "I'm a security guard, so I understand what that kind of schedule's like."

Tanaka smiled at Ennoshita. "Ennoshita mentioned it."

Ennoshita's mother crossed her legs at the knees, smoothing her yellow summer skirt over them while she continued to study Tanaka. "Night hours… But Chikara has a nine-to-five. How did you two meet?"

"At the end of last summer, he happened to stumble across The Roost—oh, that's the name of the bar—while I was editing our chalk signboard outside. I invited him inside, and he's been coming by ever since."

Nervous though his mother was making him, Ennoshita couldn't help but relax at the memory Tanaka had described. In some ways, he was glad he'd quit his job then. If not for that, he might not have met Tanaka.

Ennoshita's mother cocked her head to one side and turned to her son. "Don't tell me you've ditched Hisashi-chan and Kazuhito-kun for the bar crowd."

" _Mom_! No. Tanaka and the others at The Roost are good company," he asserted.

"Kinoshita and Narita come around, too," Tanaka interjected. "It works. I used to play volleyball with Ennoshita's coworkers, and we all went to Karasuno at the same time. My best friend and I were in Ennoshita's year, too."

At that, both parents were surprised. "That's quite the coincidence," his father remarked. He glanced between them and looked at his son. "And you two didn't know each other at all in high school?"

"No," Ennoshita replied.

"Actually," Tanaka said over the rim of his glass, "do you have your yearbook? I keep meaning to point everyone out in there, but I keep forgetting to hunt mine down at my place."

"I'd like to see it, too," his father added, while Ennoshita sighed.

His mother stood. "Sounds like a plan. Chikara, we've mostly stayed out of your room, though we've had to store some items there, but you should be able to find it wherever you left it. I'll make some sandwiches in the meantime, and we can have those and fruit for lunch."

"Ah, Ennoshita-san, let me help," Tanaka stated, and he followed her into the kitchen. Ennoshita's father was content to remain sitting and flip on the TV.

The businessman got up from the chair and shook his head, trying to snap out of it. Yet, while he climbed the stairs to his room and opened the door into the vacuum—wait, didn't that used to live in the downstairs closest?—he had this suspicion that this initial meeting was too much of a breeze. Yes, they hadn't told his parents who Tanaka _really_ was to Ennoshita, but… For instance, his mother—was she already done questioning Tanaka? And Tanaka—how was he enjoying himself more than Ennoshita was? As for his dad… Ennoshita had always thought him a tad oblivious, so that figured.

Ennoshita had to reorganize things in his room and needed to search his bookcases, but at last he found his yearbook in a box on the bottom shelf. He flipped to his class pages and found Tanaka's photo towards the end. He took the chance to chuckle to himself. Tanaka looked the same—younger, but still handsome…well, maybe he'd get away with calling this Tanaka "cute."

He spied Nishinoya's picture not far from Narita's, and it was hard not to laugh as he came down the stairs. "Nishinoya looked like that even in high school?" he asked Tanaka as he entered the kitchen. Everyone was at the dining table, and Tanaka and his mother were bringing the last of the food to the spread.

Tanaka glanced over his shoulder before he sat down. "Ah, yeah. He had Sis dye it for him when he was suspended after a fight with Asahi-san."

Ennoshita pointed out the bartender's and the cook's photos to his parents, explaining, "Don't worry. They're not delinquents; they just look like delinquents."

"You really wanna be surprised? Flip to the team photos."

He did, and he was stunned. "You didn't tell me you were captain in your third year. And Yamaguchi was vice-captain?"

"Yep. But we only won nationals once, when Daichi-san was captain."

The sudden revelations gave them plenty to discuss. Ennoshita's father asked most of the questions, and Tanaka replied as deftly as when he and Ennoshita talked. By the time lunch was far past over, Tanaka had described the regulars at The Roost, summarized his experience at Karasuno, and talked about what had led him to follow his sister to come work at her bar. Ennoshita's parents now knew he lived above the restaurant, was an uncle-to-be, and spent a lot of his free time with their son.

"So you're Chikara's new movie date," Ennoshita's father stated with an envious sigh.

Tanaka glanced at all three Ennoshitas. "Come again?"

"Dad, don't start," Ennoshita warned, but his father was spurred on by his mother's grin.

Ennoshita's father had Tanaka follow him back into the living room, where he threw open the cabinets beneath and to either side of the television, revealing an exceptional movie collection. " _I_ was his original movie date," he announced proudly.

Tanaka laughed, impressed. "You passed your love of movies on to him?"

"That I did. Because of my work, it was tough for us to do things together as a family, so Chikara would wait up before bedtime right as I was waking up and getting ready for my shift. And we'd watch movies together late at night. Whatever was on. Any genre, any length, any series or actors."

"Question," Tanaka interrupted, and his grin told Ennoshita that he, too, was all for a bit of teasing. "Did he always talk during the movie, you know, crack jokes or criticize something he thought could've been done better?"

His parents laughed. "Only after he realized the value of the commentary track and thought to add his own," his father quipped. Tanaka laughed again along with him.

Ennoshita, thoroughly ready to stick his head in the ground now, cleared his throat. "Hey, Dad, tell Tanaka your favorite genre."

His father smiled sweetly. "Hmm? Horror."

Ennoshita quirked an eyebrow triumphantly as his boyfriend lost his steam. "Yeah. Not so cocky now, Mr. Has-to-Hide-Behind-My-Shoulder-When-a-Ghost-Comes-on-the-Screen."

Tanaka stuck his tongue out at him, and again the elder Ennoshitas chuckled.

"Say, how about we watch something?" his father suggested. Both Ennoshita and Tanaka started to protest, but, as his mother didn't object, his father thumbed through the catalogue and picked an old family favorite about a boy who rescues a dog. Ennoshita wished he'd chosen something else, because this had been his favorite movie when he was _nine_ , but…

Sitting there, in the living room, his parents enjoying an old favorite and Tanaka getting all misty-eyed at every emotional scene… Ennoshita loved how the scene in the room fit, like a completed puzzle. No, like a well-done movie—the scenario was overdone, but the lighting and the setting and the cast were top-notch, perfect.

His mother caught him staring and gave him a curious look, but he merely smiled back and focused on the movie, comfy at last.

After the movie, Ennoshita's father and Tanaka got sucked into a "favorite" infomercial—really, Ennoshita needed to get Tanaka some DVDs for Christmas…his dad, too—so Ennoshita helped his mother prepare a light dinner of yakitori and assorted sides. The four of them ate, Tanaka still preaching about man's best friend in the movie, and it actually felt a lot like having Kinoshita or Narita over during high school.

When they were done, the boys cleared the table, and Ennoshita's mother didn't do much to stop them. "You _are_ staying the night?" she asked them.

"That's the plan," Ennoshita answered.

"Your room won't fit the two of you. Tanaka, I have some extra pillows and blankets, if you're all right with the couch."

Tanaka was about to reply when Ennoshita's father tried—and failed—to mumble quietly to her "Ai, just let them be." So Tanaka exchanged a look with Ennoshita instead.

"Mom…," Ennoshita began, heading back to the dining table. He locked eyes with her—the same pair of brown eyes stared back. His apprehension from when they'd first set foot in the door returned. So he tore his eyes away and tried to read his father. "Dad?" he prompted.

The older man fidgeted and smiled. But he was as obvious as he was oblivious.

"Dad…"

"Oh, don't pester him, Chikara," his mother interrupted. "We already know about the two of you," she elaborated, pointing at him and Tanaka.

Oh. Oh, boy. That… Ennoshita froze. He'd been told by Tanaka, Narita, Kinoshita, and more that he was a terrible liar. So there was no acting his way out of this. So… "…oh." He tried to clear his throat and coughed instead. "Then…"

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how to bring it up. I saw you, back in January. I didn't think it was you at first, and I thought it might _not_ have been you…until today, and you came along, Tanaka." She gathered her shoulder-length black hair over her right shoulder and shrugged. "Frankly, even if I hadn't seen you two then, it was clear just from tonight." At that, she smirked, and Ennoshita felt he'd been caught red-handed.

Worse still, he swiveled his head in Tanaka's direction, and the shaven-haired man also shrugged, unsurprised. "I kind of have a radar," he said, "for when someone figures me out. She figured me—and us—out the moment you called me someone you 'know from the city.'" Ennoshita's mother snorted along with him at the ambiguous description.

Only feeling his annoyance swell the longer he gave the two of them attention, he turned to his father. "You guys are all right with this?"

"We've had some time to get used to the idea," his father replied. "And your mother's gotten Kinoshita's mother to talk about him and Narita, so we felt prepared for when you'd tell us, if you decided to."

Ennoshita sank into one of the chairs at the table, his head swimming…

"Chikara, it's a good thing." His father reached out and gripped his shoulder. His hand was warm, as always. It was so hard to reconcile this dad who'd given him his love of cinema, though, with the man who'd just stated he knew his son was dating another man and was fine with it.

"I'm going to take the first bath," the businessman announced suddenly. He stood up, brushing his father's hand off and ignoring the look his mother and Tanaka exchanged, and went to the foyer to grab his bag. He dropped Tanaka's change of clothes on the couch and then ducked upstairs before one of them could decide to follow him. Only once the bathroom door shut behind him did he release a breath he hadn't known he'd been withholding.

* * *

He thought he'd be able to sleep well. In reality, he listened to the others use the bathroom one by one and get ready for bed. His mother called to him through his bedroom door, as did Tanaka, but he ignored them both. Eventually the house grew quiet, and Ennoshita tossed and turned before ultimately getting up and sticking his head out into the hallway.

The door to his parents' room was closed. Downstairs, Tanaka's light snoring drifted up to the second floor, signaling that it was a tad too warm for the bartender to sleep soundly.

Ennoshita crept out of his room and padded to the top stair, where he sat and brought his knees up to his chest, trying to let Tanaka's steady snores create a lullaby-esque rhythm in his ears. Unfortunately, it didn't really work. And then he felt someone staring at him.

His father waved from the foot of the staircase. He climbed the stairs, not waiting for an invitation, and plopped down on the top stair beside his son, though there were more creaking bones than when Ennoshita had sat down. "Can't sleep?" he asked, leaning over to his son.

Ennoshita bit back his "Obviously." "You?"

"I'll go to bed a few hours before you kids and your mother are up. It's a Monday, Chikara."

The businessman twisted his lips around and buried his chin in his crossed arms.

His father still eyed him. Then he said, "You know, you used to do this when you were little, too."

Ennoshita peeked at him.

His father smiled. "Come out here and sit at the top of the stairs when something got you bothered," he explained. "You last did it…in seventh grade. When you were still new friends with Kinoshita and Narita, and you first got the sense that maybe they liked each other a little more than they liked you." His smile changed into a more playful grin. "Of course, you grew to be okay with that, and—well, now look at them. I guess that's self-explanatory."

Ennoshita couldn't fight his tiny smile. Judging by the twinkle in his father's eye, that had been the objective.

"Now, tell me: Does it bother you, being with Tanaka?"

The businessman blinked. "What? No!" He paused to make sure he hadn't woken the other two, and then he continued more quietly. "No," he repeated. "Tanaka's…kind of my rock. He keeps me grounded and cares about me. Which is saying something, considering he's often the first one to yell at me when I need it."

His father nodded. "Then why did you run, Chikara?"

Ennoshita fidgeted and fiddled with a loose thread on his left shirtsleeve. "I guess… I wasn't expecting something so anti-climactic."

"I suppose it was a bit of a twist…" His father chuckled. "But, even before the news broke about your workplace, your mother and I decided we wouldn't add to your stress. Oh, except for her bugging you to visit. That's maternal instinct. Can't fiddle with that."

"How can you two be so easygoing about him and me?"

His father stretched his legs and sighed. "You'll encounter enough grief from the outside world, if you haven't already. And we don't want to be part of that. You're our son, and we love you."

His honesty was so endearing…and he sounded exactly like the same father Ennoshita had grown up with, the one who'd let him watch nearly any movie and would sneak him midnight snacks without his mother knowing, because a movie without snacks wasn't really a movie. It was just something on a screen.

The older man glanced behind them at the bedroom doors. "Also, your mother loves Tanaka. I'm pretty impressed, too." He nodded appreciatively at his son. "Since last summer, eh?"

Ennoshita turned cherry red, though he surmised he resembled a blueberry in the reflected light bouncing up the stairwell. "No. We started dating in the fall. Which almost didn't happen, since we got into this huge fight."

His father chuckled. "You're just like your mother. We had a big fight after our second week, and she almost left me."

Ennoshita's eyes widened. "I didn't know that…! But, I'll admit, both Tanaka and I were to blame. It was, uh, a little different."

"Well, the fights are just as important as the dates, if not more important. Same goes for the rough times and the happy, easy times." Now he frowned. "I know we didn't bring it up, but is your job secure where you are, Chikara?"

"That's what they keep telling me," Ennoshita replied. He sighed, too. "Tanaka, actually, was calming me down just last week, in the event that I _do_ lose my job."

"We can't afford to help with your rent, but you will always have a room here at home, Chikara. Even if you mother decides to store her favorite broom there, too."

"I noticed that, and I appreciate the offer…but that's precisely why I was freaking out. He says he's all right if my only opportunities are out here, back home, but it's not as though he can uproot the bar. And it can't run without him."

"I see…" His father remained quiet for a minute. "All I can tell you, Chikara, is that nothing's set in stone. You might not know if you're going to be laid off, but you haven't been laid off yet. Don't go borrowing trouble," he finished, wrapping an arm around him.

"You're an optimist, aren't you, Dad?"

"I have to be, since your mother's a realist. What, why are you laughing?"

Ennoshita beamed at him, this part of the conversation giving him a serious case of déjà vu. "It's nothing, Dad. Goodnight."

* * *

When they got up in the normal part of the morning, the house was quiet, just as Ennoshita remembered it. With his dad fast asleep, he and his mother helped Tanaka navigate their peaceful breakfast and morning routines. That was a challenge for the boisterous fellow, but he did all right in the end.

Tanaka got his shoes on first later in the morning after Ennoshita said he wanted to get back earlier than his mother had suggested. He was about to head out the door when Ennoshita's mother caught him by surprise with a quick hug.

"Come visit my kitchen again," she said with an impish smile. That smile was ear to ear when he nodded of course. Then she faced her lollygagging son.

"I take it I'm supposed to come home more often, and bring him, too?" Ennoshita guessed.

She gave him an unimpressed look. "I expect nothing less from my bright boy." Despite her matter-of-fact tone, her face cracked into another smile. "I packed a water bottle with that pink lemonade you both like in your bag."

That explained why his bag had doubled in weight.

"And your father told me he spoke to you about the possibility of you moving back home."

Ah. And that explained this extended sendoff.

She pushed her hair behind her left ear, and it was the first time he'd noticed the black tresses were shot through with dark silver at her temple. "Of course you're always welcome here…"

His heart swelled with affection—

"But don't come back."

—and promptly crashed onto the bottom of his ribcage. " _What_?! Mom—"

She winked in Tanaka's direction. "The city's good for you."

Ennoshita's face flooded with color, and his mother laughed and kissed his cheek. She walked them outside and waved at them until they had to turn the corner.

Tanaka whistled happily, swinging Ennoshita's hand in his on their way to the train station. "So, apparently, I'm the perfect boy to bring home to your parents." He grinned wolfishly at his tomato-hued lover.

"Oh, my god, I hate you so much right now."

"No, you don't~"

Despite leaving earlier than planned, they didn't get back in time to attend Kageyama's practice match. Tanaka assured him it still was fine, since he'd messaged Kageyama the day before that they wouldn't be able to go.

"There will be other matches to miss," Tanaka jested when they reached Ennoshita's stop back in the city.

"You're obnoxious," Ennoshita stated.

"One of us has to be," Tanaka said at the open train door.

"Agreed." And Ennoshita, forgoing decorum, leaned up and kissed him right there in the _very_ public station. When he pulled away so the doors could close and Tanaka could be on his way, he was delighted not to be the only one without his composure anymore.

That evening, he took it easy, and that paved the way to a very good morning at work. Granted, a grim atmosphere still clung to the place, but there was no worse news, so Ennoshita decided that he would take what shred of luck he could get.

He even found himself back in his office, finally. He still had to work on recreating the data to fill in the holes in the corrupted projects, but at least he could do that at his own desk and computer.

His eyes wandered away from his monitor for a moment, to take a break. First they landed on the mini calendar on the right, revealing that, hell, it would be June already this Friday. Then he looked to the left at a picture frame. It was old and made of cheap metal, and there were purikura pictures of him and Tanaka tucked into the right side, but the main picture itself, of him standing between Kinoshita and Narita at their high school graduation, was what caught his attention.

Ennoshita opened his phone and went to his inbox. He messaged both of his best friends about meeting up to have their usual dinner at the udon shop. Then he texted Tanaka to let him know not to expect him tonight. But he did promise his boyfriend tomorrow.

The hours ambled on, but Ennoshita was glad when the workday was over. Neither of his friends had confirmed their plans, but Ennoshita had a good feeling for once, and he consciously put out of his mind the iffy atmosphere he'd witnessed between them this month. There was something to be said for projection, right? So he'd project positive feelings at them, on them.

He grabbed a table in the middle of the restaurant and loosened his tie, ordering a round of tea for the table.

Kinoshita and Narita arrived fifteen minutes later. They weren't holding hands, but they looked more like their normal selves. Narita wore his usual, gentle, smile, and Kinoshita slid into the seat across from Ennoshita, reaching over to punch Ennoshita playfully in the arm.

"I take back what I said before," Narita stated as he sat beside the blond. "We shouldn't ever push eating together off. I've missed this."

"Considering it's been weeks, yeah," Kinoshita said. His eyes lit up when he saw the tea, and he drank a whole cup before he spoke again. "Things still crap at work?" he asked his friend while pouring himself another cup.

Ennoshita shrugged. "Kind of. The idea of maybe having to move is lingering in my head, but—"

The couple gawked at him. " _Move_?" Narita echoed.

"Uh, well, I mean, Tanaka says I'm being a worrywart—" He squirmed under their intense stares. "Guys, it's just a possibility."

"So Sugawara-san really wasn't joking when he said you might be laid off?" the shaven-haired man confirmed. "And you'd really have to move? Where?"

Ennoshita pulled a face. "I don't know. The only reason I'm entertaining the possibility is because of last fall. Remember before I got my job back, how I was hunting for work? I was coming up with squat, and I can't imagine the job market has changed much since then. So… I might even move back home. My parents are all right with that, too."

The waitress interrupted at that break, and Kinoshita waited for her to walk away before he leaned across the table, got in Ennoshita's face, and bopped him on the head. " _No_ ," he said firmly.

"Ow! What do you mean, ' _no_ '?!"

Kinoshita grabbed Ennoshita's right hand and laid it out flat in the middle of the table. He grabbed Narita's hand next and placed it atop Ennoshita's hand, and then he covered Narita's with his own. "You can't break _this_ up," the blond declared, gesturing to the three of them and their hands.

"Kinoshita—"

" _No_ ," he repeated. "You're not allowed to move back, not when we left together. It's—it's illegal. You're our Ennoshita, and you're staying put."

"Kinoshita, exactly what law would I be breaking?" the brunet asked with raised eyebrows.

"Shush. I'm sure there's some law."

Ennoshita gave Narita a look, too, since the other man was chuckling at their antics. "You two are more possessive than my parents, you know," he said. As if proving his point, they both hooked a finger around his when he tried to withdraw his hand.

Narita exchanged a look with Kinoshita, who nodded, when they finally released him. Their food arrived, but none of them touched it. Narita cleared his throat. "Why not move in with us?"

Ennoshita looked between the two of them for a long while. He gave them a sad smile. "Guys… I appreciate that, I do. But me moving in with you is different from staying over for a night or two."

He guessed they'd been expecting that answer since they both frowned, and Narita got to eating. Kinoshita, however, pointed at Ennoshita with his chopsticks. "What about Tanaka?"

Ennoshita shook his head while Narita growled a "Hisashi…!" under his breath. "No, I don't think either of us feels we can bring it up to the other. For one, I don't want to be presumptuous. For another…it hasn't even been a year yet." Really, though, those were his more reasonable arguments. His mind flashed back to the crib at Saeko and Akiteru-san's house. It hadn't escaped him that Nishinoya hadn't painted an Ennoshita crow on the crib's legs, and neither he nor Tanaka had said anything about making an Ennoshita crow plushie to go with the others… Again, Ennoshita didn't want to be presumptuous, but it was difficult to ignore the potential implications of calling the crib complete as is.

Kinoshita dropped the subject after Narita scolded him for a second time, but Kinoshita got him back by bumping his hip against Narita's.

Ennoshita felt relieved, watching the two of them behave like their younger selves. At least some things were right in the world again.

* * *

"Ennoshita-san?" Someone knocked on his open office door.

The businessman picked up his head and saw Ryugazaki standing in the doorway. Ennoshita hadn't seen him since Terushima's email issue…and his sudden appearance was an unpleasant reminder that a week now had passed since Terushima had been let go.

Ryugazaki cleared his throat, and Ennoshita stopped staring.

"Sorry. Did you need something?"

The I.T. worker pushed his red frames up the bridge of his nose and gestured to someone outside the office. "Narita-san wanted to see you."

"Huh?" Ennoshita got up as Ryugazaki bowed his head and left, and Narita, indeed, walked in. "Narita?"

His friend smiled and took in the office decorations—mainly the whiteboard and the random, company-issued painting on the wall behind his desk and the large wall calendar hanging opposite the door linking his and Sugawara's offices. Narita held up his visitor's badge. "I forgot to bring it up the other night, but Sawamura-san came through. He passed my info along to Kobori-san in I.T., and Kobori-san contacted my boss. I'm on loan for now."

Ennoshita eyed him. "Uh, I thought you didn't have a uniform…?"

Narita glanced down at his khakis and red polo with the black Nine Lives Net logo over the left breast. "Ah, this? Yeah, I'm usually good with a button-up, but my boss thought I should 'advertise.'" Narita rolled his eyes. "Typically it's only the tech support like Fukunaga and Kozume who have to wear this, not server guys."

The brunet nodded.

"Kobori-san and Ryugazaki mentioned people start taking their lunch breaks around now. Want to grab a bite?"

Ennoshita nodded again and donned his suit jacket. They left the building, and Ennoshita showed him the compact Korean barbeque shop up the street. The friends bought two ready-made lunches and ate as they wandered back to Ukai Corp. "Do you like it here?"

Narita finished chewing a mouthful of food. "It's not bad, but I think I prefer the servers back at work."

"Yeah. When did you start?"

"Yesterday. I'm helping to get a more secure network protocol off the ground."

Something tickled the back of Ennoshita's brain. "Did you guys ever figure out who hacked us? Mom told me she saw on the news—the media's claiming it was Kumo Japan."

Narita made a skeptical face. "We haven't, and we might not, especially if it _was_ Kumo Japan. Their company president, Hanamiya Makoto, has a reputation in the digital world as being a hacker for shits and giggles. Unfortunately, that's only his _suspected_ reputation. No one's ever been able to prove anything, though word is that he's been leaving his mark since his high school days."

"He just screws around with his competition?"

"If you can't beat 'em, hack 'em." Narita smiled sympathetically at Ennoshita. "But that's where I come in. You can count on me."

Ennoshita snorted. "Kinoshita can, too, right?"

Narita's ears reddened, giving him away. "Yes, Hisashi, too. Sorry, we've been…on the outs. But we're on the same page now, and we're good. Better than." Narita reached over with his fork and plucked a vegetable from Ennoshita's lunch. "And I'll take this as an offering for you being nosy."

"Hey! Eat your own lunch, jerk."

"Drinks on me, jerk." The taller man grinned, knowing he'd won with that.

They took their time heading back. Ennoshita parted with Narita on the main floor since Narita needed to disappear back to the I.T. department in the basement, and then the businessman got back to work up on the fourth floor.

It was the first semi-normal day Ennoshita had had in a month. If there hadn't been work to do, he didn't think he'd know what to do with himself. But it was nice, comforting, perhaps, to wave to Sugawara and Moriyama, the latter of which had moved reluctantly to occupy Terushima's old desk, when the day ended, and it was fun to meet up with Narita in the lobby and have company on the journey that Ennoshita usually undertook on his lonesome.

Kinoshita was there already, occupying Ennoshita's favorite seat at the end of the bar counter yet _again_ , and he laughed when Ennoshita pushed on him to move over. "What the hell was that for?" the blond asked, but his laughter kept leaking into his tone.

"You're just looking to annoy me," Ennoshita huffed, although he lightened up when Tanaka flashed him a smile.

"Is it working?"

"Nope," the brunet stated, and he took a sip of the Oddball Quick which Tanaka passed him. Ahh, yes. The good things in life were simple.

"Then this probably will." Kinoshita gestured grandly to Tanaka. "Tanaka and I were just discussing how you're not allowed to move back to Miyagi."

"And I was eavesdropping!" Nishinoya called from the backroom which masqueraded as The Roost's kitchen. Nishinoya's blond tuft of hair popped out around the entryway, followed by the tiny cook himself. "You're not allowed to go anywhere, Chikara."

Ennoshita laughed at the four of them as Narita and the bartender nodded along with Nishinoya's proclamation. "You guys—I get it, I get it!"

Four pairs of eyes stared at him. Then Nishinoya decided he was satisfied and went back to cooking. Kinoshita caught sight of Yamaguchi sitting by himself and grabbed Narita by the wrist, so they left to join the younger crow in a booth in the back of the restaurant. Only Tanaka kept his gaze on Ennoshita a while longer.

"Something on my face?" the businessman asked.

Tanaka furrowed his brow, but he was still smiling. "No. I'm just admiring the view."

Ennoshita's cheeks burned bright red, so he drank more of his beverage to cool down. He watched Tanaka work for a while, mixing drinks and helping Yamamoto as needed and managing the register. It struck him then that Tanaka hadn't done himself justice when explaining to Ennoshita's parents what he did for a living, although Ennoshita mused that maybe he'd gotten the point across himself when he'd had his midnight chat with his father. Tanaka worked wonders around here.

As the bartender got busier with more drink orders, Ennoshita did as Tanaka had and "admired the view." He liked to think that he liked seeing Tanaka with his sleeves pushed up probably because Tanaka had just been a bartender when they'd met. But he was content knowing that he knew those bare arms in another setting. He probably had the details of them memorized, too: how the skin was slightly darker on his forearms than elsewhere, that the hairs were a faint gray–brown like the peach fuzz on his scalp, that there was one pale mole on his left middle finger, on the third knuckle—

"Is that a scar?" he blurted, causing Tanaka to do a double-take.

The shaven-haired man followed Ennoshita's eyes to a spot on his elbow where, in the bar's dim lighting, a lighter patch of skin the length of a hundred-yen coin and the width of a pencil stood out, starkly contrasted by the deep tan of the rest of his arm. Tanaka held his arm up in front of Ennoshita. "This? Ah, this is nothing. Surprised you hadn't seen it before." He grabbed a rag and wiped the counter down as though it were nothing.

But Ennoshita felt like the surprised one. "It looks old. When did you get it?"

"I got hurt a long time ago, by broken glass. I was learning from the bar's first bartender at the time."

The brunet's eyes widened. "You weren't bartending from the start?"

Tanaka gave him a dry look. "Ennoshita, consider how young I was when Sis opened the place. Of course I wasn't."

"So what was the original bartender like?"

The thuggish man twisted his lips around to the right. "Very…straight-laced," he said after a long moment. He glanced at Ennoshita's nearly empty glass and then at the clock to the left of the drink menu, hanging above the doorway to the backroom. He turned back to Ennoshita, grinning again. "Now, my break's about to come up in two minutes. Is talking about that _really_ how you want to spend it with me?" He waggled his eyebrows for good measure.

Ennoshita smiled back, agreeing. And, as Tanaka flagged down Yamamoto to give him reprieve, Ennoshita understood the importance of their exchange just now. There was still a lot that Ennoshita and Tanaka didn't know about each other.

Their friends were right. Ennoshita _couldn't_ leave. Not when there was still so much more to learn and discover about Tanaka.

* * *

Things really did settle down at Ukai Corp. The media continued to speculate that Hanamiya was responsible for the hack, an idea exacerbated when Kumo Japan announced the launch of its global operations in early June.

Moriyama was quite vocal on the subject, too. "I wouldn't put it past him to come after us," he bitched to Ennoshita as they ate lunch in the break room one afternoon.

"Personal vendetta?" Ennoshita asked.

"Not quite… I never played him, but I know some good people who did. The underhanded bastard…" He dropped the anger from his face at Ennoshita's confused gape. "Basketball, in high school," he elaborated. "Hanamiya led a team of cheaters."

"Sounds…fun?"

Moriyama snorted. "Definitely not when players got injured."

Ennoshita shuddered. He momentarily wondered if Tanaka had any such stories, but Tanaka's remark about Hinata came to mind, so he hopped off that train of thought.

Just then, Sugawara strolled into the break room, a giant grin on his face and Sawamura on his heels. "Hello, hello~" the sandy-haired man sang on his way to the coffee pot.

Ennoshita and Moriyama exchanged a look and then turned to Sawamura. "Ukai-san just sent a memo around," the Production manager said. "There's a hiring freeze for now…"

The two Marketing employees leaned a little out of their chairs.

"…but the layoffs are done. We're safe!"

They cheered, and Sawamura held up his hands for double high-fives, he was so happy. Sugawara did the same, and then the ridiculous couple practically danced in the break room. Well, maybe not danced, but Sawamura _did_ twirl Sugawara in and out of his arms.

It was an anecdote that amused Tanaka, Nishinoya, Saeko, and Akiteru-san the following weekend while the five of them were out for a walk at Saeko's behest. Of course, Ennoshita had asked if such exercise were really all right for her since she was so far along, but both Tanaka and Akiteru-san had corrected him, saying that Saeko was the most energetic of them all, possibly giving even Hinata a run for his money.

"I'm happy all that hoopla's gone away now, Chikara," she said with a vigorous nod of her head as they passed by the turnoff which Ennoshita, Tanaka, and Nishinoya would talk later to head to the train station. She stuck her head out from between her husband and her brother. " _And_ thank you again for the Kageyama crow doll. He's so cute!"

"Glad you think so," the businessman responded, and Tanaka bit his lower lip to try to hide his smirk, but he gave Ennoshita's bandaged right hand a gentle squeeze. Ennoshita heaved a sigh at him. "Shut up. Some of us aren't as domesticated as you and Noya."

Nishinoya slapped him heartily on the back. "You're coming along nicely, though, Chikara!"

Ennoshita rolled his eyes, and Tanaka and Akiteru-san laughed.

Saeko slowed to a stop about a block from the station turnoff and held on to Akiteru-san's arm, wincing. "Oof… Ugh, the baby's kicking. I'm not in the mood for that in this heat."

Akiteru-san frowned. "Shall we head back?"

"Let's."

The quintet turned around, and Ennoshita agreed with her. It was a Sunday in mid-June, but the sun was beating down with more intensity than one would expect this early into summer. On their way back, they saw a few houses with kids out in the front yard, playing with water guns or running through sprinklers.

That gave Nishinoya an idea as they turned onto the married couple's road. "Do you guys have a sprinkler? I could set one up and—"

He stopped mid-sentence when Saeko went down, her feet flying out from under her. It happened so quickly that none of them but Akiteru-san reacted at first, because his wife's grip slipped from his arm.

"Saeko!"

"Sis!"

"Saeko-san!"

"Saeko-nee-san!"

The blonde groaned but shooed them off. "I'm fine, I'm fine!" She glanced at the pavement and muttered a curse under her breath. "Great. Now my shorts are wet."

Ennoshita saw a stream trickling from someone's yard, and he grabbed Tanaka's arm when the bartender, too, noticed the hose running out of someone's yard and flipped his Yakuza Mode switch on. "Don't get something started," he told the thuggish man with a stern gaze, and he didn't relent until Tanaka relaxed his face.

Akiteru-san and Nishinoya helped Saeko to her feet. "You landed pretty hard on your butt…," the older man remarked. He furrowed his brow. "I think we should go to the hospital and make sure everything's okay."

She opened her mouth to protest but shut it with a roll of her eyes when the other three sided with him. "Oh, for crying out loud… Fine! Let's go."

Ennoshita almost asked Tanaka if he should stay, but the answer was clear when they returned to the newlyweds' house and all got into Akiteru-san's car after Akiteru-san dashed into the house to grab some things. He drove and Nishinoya rode shotgun, with Saeko in the backseat between her brother and his lover.

The drive was shorter than Ennoshita would've guessed, and the hospital was as sterile and uncomfortable as one might expect. Tanaka helped his sister and brother-in-law check in and then waited with Nishinoya and Ennoshita as Saeko and Akiteru-san were escorted behind large doors with a "NO UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY" sign painted across them.

The wait was excruciating. Ennoshita mirrored Tanaka's grimace, but Nishinoya was the antsiest, getting up and groaning so loudly that the receptionist and nurses all looked his way. Eventually, Nishinoya channeled his energy into stretching his legs and—

"Is he _warming up_?" the businessman asked his boyfriend surreptitiously.

"Ah, yeah. Libero habit. He's never shaken it." Tanaka picked up Ennoshita's wrist to check his watch. "Cripes, it's been twenty minutes already. What the hell?"

A minute later, a doctor emerged from the doors and called out into the waiting room. "Tsukishima party?"

Tanaka was on his feet like lightning. "Here. Is my sister all right? She fell—"

The doctor pushed his glasses up his nose and held up a hand to interrupt. "She's fine. Her water broke, so we're getting ready for the delivery." He grinned, which was off-putting when paired with his shifty, squinty eyes. He turned on his heel, hands stuffed in his pockets, and called over his shoulder, "Just wanted you to know!" And then he went back through the doors.

Nishinoya jumped up and down in place, whooping and hollering, and Tanaka gawped at where the doctor had stood. When the bartender came to his senses, he started ordering the other two around. "I—I've gotta call Akiteru-san's parents. Noya-san, get a hold of Tsukishima and, Ennoshita, here's Yamaguchi's number, in case the blond asshat doesn't pick up. Who else— OH! Uh, I should tell the rest of the gang; they'll want to know…and Sis would want them to know… Ennoshita, call Kiyoko-san and Yacchan. Noya—Asahi-san. I'll call Hinata and Kageyama. Urgh, Yui-san—"

"I can text Ikejiri-san if you want me to, Tanaka."

Tanaka nodded dumbly, still stunned.

At least the trio had something to keep them busy. Everyone was reached successfully, and Ennoshita emailed Sugawara, as well. That killed some time, but the better part of an hour stretched out with no news.

Yachi and Shimizu came to show their support, though Yachi's level of excitement rivaled Nishinoya's, and both of them were jumping around when Yamaguchi arrived with Tsukishima in tow. The younger Tsukishima brother's face was flushed, as if they'd run there, and Ennoshita thought the sourpuss looked better with a touch of color in his cheeks.

After a full hour and a half since the couple had checked in, at last the doctor returned. He whistled when he took a quick headcount and observed the party had more than doubled in size, but still he said, "Blood relatives only, please."

Tanaka frowned at Ennoshita, but the brunet smiled reassuringly and ushered him towards the doctor. Tsukishima, too, slouched behind him after Yamaguchi crossed his arms in front of his chest and fixed his best friend with an unimpressed stare, complete with foot tapping away.

Akiteru-san came out to the waiting room later, radiating joy. "She's perfect" was all he announced.

Yachi squealed and hugged her girlfriend, and Yamaguchi released a little gasp.

The new father's pocket buzzed, and he checked his phone. "Ah. Kei says Saeko's asking for you guys."

The nurse side of Yamaguchi cropped up. "Uh, I don't think we'll all fit… It's probably not a good idea…"

But Nishinoya interrupted him with a friendly slap to the arm. "Nonsense, Yamaguchi! Let's go!" He practically frolicked after Akiteru-san.

Yamaguchi had a point; Saeko's room was small, and they took turns going in and out. However, once Ennoshita nabbed a spot, Tanaka didn't let him leave, and Ennoshita got a good look at Tanaka's brand-new niece when Akiteru-san carefully handed her to his brother-in-law.

She was such a tiny, wrinkly being, more of a red bundle wrapped up in cloth. If she were any redder, she could've been called sunburnt.

"Butt ugly, isn't she?" Saeko asked with a laugh.

Tanaka scoffed. "She's a _baby_ , Sis."

"What? It's just 'cause she's wrinkly." She said that, but she looked very much at peace with her newborn daughter despite her hair being plastered to her face and neck with sweat and her eyes possessing a tired sheen to them.

They took turns holding her—"Chieko," Saeko informed them—too, although she was kept smartly from Nishinoya, who still brimmed with energy.

Yachi, like Tanaka and Yamaguchi, was a natural and gently swayed with Chieko in her arms. She turned to Shimizu at one point, chirping, "We should make one, too, Kiyo-chan!" Poor Shimizu turned pinker than her glasses frames.

Once most everyone had had a turn—and Ennoshita internally freaked, not wanting to hold the teeny babe without Tanaka's hand right there on his arm, to help keep her head properly cradled—a nurse came in and announced that visiting time was over, and mother and baby were to be checked without anyone else in the room except for the father.

Saeko assured her brother and her brother-in-law that it would be quick because it was a routine thing. "The nurses here are great," she said, "and Imayoshi-sensei's been my doctor from the start. Sure, he was off by a month in terms of my due date, but he's way more reliable than he looks, promise."

For once, Tanaka and Tsukishima seemed to be in agreement as they both gave her their most skeptical faces. But Shimizu, Yachi, and Nishinoya exited the room, and Tsukishima let Yamaguchi tug him out. Only Tanaka dawdled.

Saeko eased into a motherly smile she'd never shown before. "I know what you're going to say, Ryuu, and I think so, too. Mom and Dad are happy, too, watching over us." It was clear by her tone that a) "us" meant the Tanaka siblings as well as the new family and b) she was not referring to Akiteru-san's parents despite being on such close terms with them.

Tanaka nodded at that, and then he followed Ennoshita out of the room, his hand never leaving the other man's small of his back.

When they found an empty, private section of hallway, Ennoshita slowed and came to a stop. He smirked. "So… Uncle Ryuu."

The bartender snorted, looking and sounding more like himself just like that. "You say that like a joke, but I honestly can't wait to hear that kid call me that." He bit his lower lip, breaking into a smile. "But…wow. Tsukishima Chieko. Just what the world needs—another Tsukishima."

"She's half Tanaka, too," Ennoshita reminded him, and he pecked Tanaka's forehead. They resumed walking.

"For a while there, I was super worried, Ennoshita." He pressed his hand at Ennoshita's back. "Mom always joked that Sis and I just 'popped' out of her, because she had big hips. She told Saeko to be grateful for her wide hips, even, that they'd come in handy one day." He chuckled and released a relieved sigh. "So when Sis was still in labor…"

"You were worried. I understand." The brunet slipped an arm around his waist as they strolled. "She appreciates it, you know."

Tanaka chuckled again. "I know. Hey, just think—if I'd been a girl, too, I'd have the sturdy Tanaka woman hips, as well." He grinned wolfishly. "We wouldn't have a thing to worry about, either, babe."

Ennoshita rolled his eyes at the idea of a female version of Tanaka; he couldn't picture it. But he got the gist of what Tanaka was saying and gave the shaven-haired man's waist a squeeze. He knew it well: Like Saeko and Akiteru-san, he and Tanaka were in this together, and he told Tanaka just as much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A LOT happened here, some of which I planned a couple years ago, towards the start this AU in 2014. I knew I wanted things to happen at Ukai Corp., & I knew what would happen with Terushima (it was foreshadowed in "Closing," bUT I'M STILL SO SORRY, TERUSHIMA!), but it was a slight surprise that Moriyama works in Marketing there; oddly enough, I think he fits in. XD Not to mention this is an AU which involves HQ! & KnB & Free! & GSNK…& another 4 fandoms now, though they have not all made their appearance/cameos yet: Daiya no Ace, Yuri On Ice, Cheer Danshi!, & All Out! Can you tell I'm a bit of a sports anime addict? (Tho GSNK was random, it works, because of several of the charries being sporty &…well, I'd say more, but that'd give away some stuff.)
> 
> -Golden Week: In Japan, this week from April 30th to May 5th (or until May 6th if April 30th is a Sunday) is a time of kind of…national vacation? A lot of companies have their employees take off here, so there's a LOT of travel, & it's a popular time of the year for clubs to hold activities & training camps at schools. Not all companies participate, & the canon of BoaF is that some companies are too small or have other offerings for flexible time off (as U.C. does) to allow Golden Week vacations.
> 
> -Narikino & PDA refers to a little [oneshot](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9451748/chapters/25350078) I wrote from Kino's POV, included in my ficlet collection Nice Receives, so I strongly suggest reading that at the very least before Ennotana 7 comes out. (Also a reminder that I take writing prompts/requests, so feel free to hit me up for more in this AU~!)
> 
> -In case it confused anyone, I wanted to elaborate: Each department in U.C. is led by a "manager," & the department "supervisors" are like assistant managers & take over managerial duties when the managers are absent. So Ennoshita & Ikejiri become Suga & Daichi, respectively, when those two aren't around.
> 
> -Ennoshita mentions The Roost might become a theme restaurant—a BIG THING in Japan. The remark was made in passing because mew's a fan of Andrew Zimmern & his travels/shows, & I loved it when one of the places he visited in Japan was Alcatraz ER, a theme restaurant, where all the food is gory & the waiters are dressed like deranged medical personnel. *happy sigh* That's one example of a theme, but there are other theme restaurants, too. So the idea of domestic punks…how cute! & please Google theme restaurants—they're so cool! *mew wants to go*
> 
> -It's very plausible, the hack. As the child of two computer nerds/techs, I've a decent understanding of what went on (hope no one was bored, *lol*), & I planned the hack a long time ago, because…well, today's world.
> 
> -Ennoshita's parents have names I thought worked well with his; "Chikara" is a very…impressive name, if you ask me (means "power," for anyone who doesn't know). So I decided his mum would have as large a name as he does (Ai, meaning "love") & his dad's name would be similar-sounding (Takara, meaning "treasure"). I'm very picky about names, & Takara was almost named something else…but I won't say what, as that idea has been recycled to be revisited in a future Ennotana.
> 
> -FINALLY! The playlist for "Opportunity": "[Maybe Baby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncN96RckEtc)" by Clazziquai (the overall "theme song" of Ennotana 6), "[100nen Beer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRJVLnk8vg4)" by Kavka Shishido (what Saeko actually actually at her party, *LOL*), "[Change Your Mind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyWkYEO57XA)" by The Killers, "[Right Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dos2-Hv4tdU)" by Betty Who, "[Paper Moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eYK3YP524A)" by Tommy Heavenly6, and "[Daredemo Lonely](http://renai-junkie.tumblr.com/post/94530451798/everybodys-lonely-sorry-for-being-head-over)" ("Everyone's Lonely") by YUKI. The BoaF playlist on my MP3 player is getting big…
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, & PLEASE review/comment/send me an ask! I appreciate the support I've received so far on FFN, AO3, & tumblr, but help spread the love! Lemme know you enjoy the AU! Tell your friends about the Ennotana (& other ships) happenin' here! Feel free to send me messages or headcanons or fanart—I love it all! I encourage you to come talk to me about it, 'cuz guess what? You know how BoaF makes you super excited & squeal with joy? IMAGINE WHAT IT DOES TO THE PERSON WHO CAN'T STOP WRITING THIS SHIT. *lol* But I swear I don't bite.
> 
> Anywho, Ennotana 7, "Personal Day," will be a while because of its numerous (read: 8 confirmed so far) side stories, too, but I hope you will enjoy it, as well!
> 
> -mew! :D


End file.
